Kingdom Hearts: The Final Destiny
by Ninja Mage
Summary: 3025, 1000 years after the last defeat of the Heartless and Ansem. When he's revived, the descendants of Sora and company must rise and gain allies to defeat him. Mostly OCs, some cameos. R&R! PG13 for swearing and some sex content in early chapters
1. Prologue

Okay people. This is my first story on Fanfiction, so don't flame me! I am including this prologue for those _idiots_ (no offense; you'll find I'm a _very_ sarcastic person) who have no idea what Kingdom Hearts is about and/or have never played it. For those geniuses who have played it, this prologue just summarizes the game. You have no idea how long it took me to write down the quotes at the end! **You may choose to read the prologue or you may choose not to.** I can't make you do anything.

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Prologue

Thousands of years ago, all worlds were separate. Nobody knew of any world but their own, nor did anybody want to know of any others. After a few centuries had passed, a young ruler of a world called Hollow Bastion began to wonder why he was put on that world and not another. The ruler, Ansem, also came to believe that darkness could consume any heart, and began multiple experiments to discover how this could be stopped before his world fell to darkness.

As part of his experiment, Ansem took the darkness from a person's heart and placed it in a pure one. He then suppressed and amplified the darkness, only to find that the hearts collapsed. He placed the people who had lost their hearts in the bottom of his castle. After a long while, he discovered creatures there that had been born of darkness. He began to wonder how these 'shadows' came to be and if they were sentient.

Ansem soon discovered that the shadows were indeed born from those who lost their hearts. They showed no emotion whatsoever. As he experimented, Ansem kept a detailed, thirteen page report of his findings. As he wrote, the shadows multiplied under the castle. He decided to name them. Ansem called those without hearts the Heartless.

The Heartless seemed to appear in groups, and when presented with living and dead organisms, they only responded to the living. Ansem found that the Heartless multiplied faster after they had taken the hearts of the living. The prey vanished after the Heartless had taken their hearts. Ansem concluded that the Heartless were born from those who lost their hearts, thrived on the hearts taken from others, and in turn those hearts became Heartless themselves. The Heartless were discovered to have intelligence, if not emotions. Ansem began to wonder how to communicate with them, and came to the conclusion that they were the darkness he had sought in people's hearts.

Ansem selected a particular Heartless for observation and it led him to the deepest, darkest place in the castle. There he discovered a door he had never noticed before. The Heartless twitched its antennae excitedly. Though the door had a keyhole, it was unlocked. Ansem eased the door open slowly and found a great mass of energy. Later that night, as he lie in bed, he witnessed a strange meteor shower and began to wonder if the door he had opened had anything to do with it.

Ansem's thoughts turned to those of the energy mass. He concluded that, because the Heartless fed on hearts and seemed to yearn for the mass, then the mass must be the core of the world- the heart of Hollow Bastion. He also concluded that the Heartless wanted that heart for something, but could not figure out why.

After some more time, he turned his attention to the meteor pieces. He had never seen anything like them. They felt elastic and bonded together easily. He could find no information in his vast library on any substance like it. He wondered, as he did a lot those days, if the pieces had anything to do with the mysterious door and the heart of Hollow Bastion.

Ansem already knew that Heartless were deeply involved with hearts. To begin to discover the mysteries of the heart, he invented a machine, which, with the right 'ingredients', successfully created a Heartless. The characteristics of the artificial and natural Heartless were almost exactly the same. Ansem marked the artificially created ones so as not to confuse them.

After he had been experimenting with the material for some time, Ansem was astonished to have a visitor from another world come to Hollow Bastion. He was king of another world. Ansem talked with the king for hours. The king's vessel was made of the material from the meteors, which he called gummi blocks. A particular story caught Ansem's interest. The visiting king told a story of a key named Keyblade. It had the power to unlock or lock any door. He had two versions of the tale, one of which had its wielder save the world, but the other tale told of how the wielder destroyed the world. Ansem was soon consumed. He had to find this Keyblade.

Ansem finally concluded that the Heartless, as they were born from the darkness in hearts, wanted to return to the heart of worlds. He suspected that the heart of a world was also the world of the Heartless. He decided to set off in search of the Keyblade wielder and the seven princesses that would unlock the Final World. As his body was now too frail to complete the journey, he cast it away and opened his heart to the darkness.

He soon came to find that when the door that led to the heart of a world was opened, the walls around it collapsed, causing what looked like a meteor shower, thus allowing the ability to travel between worlds. He concluded that once the Keyblade closed a door, the world was no longer accessible to outsiders. He had to do something about it. He wondered how close of a bond the princesses and Keyblade had. He chose a special young girl, not knowing if she possessed the same power as the princesses. He hoped that she would direct him to the wielder of the Keyblade. He kidnapped her and cast her off to another world.

When his body perished, Ansem became merely a heart. He had expected to come back as a Heartless, but he sensed no sign of any such changes. He still had memories, unlike the Heartless. He learned of a world that was connected to all hearts. This world was called Kingdom Hearts. It was connected to the world of darkness. This was where all hearts were born. He found four kinds of worlds- the present world, the world of darkness, the world of light and the world in-between. Ansem wondered which one contained true paradise.

Ansem wondered where the body went after being cast from the heart. Did the body and soul perish? Did all worlds spawn Heartless? There must have been another equivalent of every person in each world. Not of light, not of dark, but an in-between existence. He called these people the non-existent ones. His obsession with these ideas led to the fall of Hollow Bastion to the Heartless, causing his people to flee for their lives.

* * * * * * * * * *

After Ansem began his journey, another world was about to fall to the same darkness. On a world called Destiny Islands, three friends began to wonder as Ansem had- why had they been put on this world? If other worlds existed, they could have easily ended up on another, right? Riku and Sora had been born and raised on the island, but their friend Kairi had appeared following a strange meteor shower. Kairi could remember nothing about where she came from. The trio decided to build a raft and travel to another world, maybe even Kairi's.

Before the raft was built, Sora had been having strange thoughts. Thoughts like "is any of this for real or not". He thought of seeing Riku, hand offered for Sora to follow him, both of them being engulfed by water, Sora trying to swim to Riku, only to be swept away. He thought of emerging from the sea, Kairi standing on the beach calling and waving to him, him approaching her, a strange look appearing on her face, both of them looking up to the sky, seeing Sora falling from the sky into the ocean, Kairi grabbing for the Sora on the beach as he fell into the water, him sinking into darkness, and finally landing on a platform. As he landed, doves began flying up from the ground, revealing a picture of a woman in a yellow dress with black hair. He was offered a choice of three powers: The power of the guardian presented in the form of a shield, the power of the mystic in the form of a staff, and the power of the warrior in the form of a sword. He selected the sword, but was forced to surrender another power. He surrendered the power of the guardian. The floor fell away around him, and he fell to another platform with a picture of a woman with brown hair and a blue gown. He looked around. His new sword suddenly appeared in his hands. After giving it a swipe, a Heartless appeared in front of him. Sora stared at it for a few seconds, and more appeared. He attacked one, destroying it in three hits. The others left in fear, except one, which snuck behind him. Sora destroyed it and those that appeared afterwards easily. The last Heartless turned into a pool of black, which spread, swallowing Sora. He was on another pink and white platform, a door on one side. He stood up, since he landed on his back. He couldn't open the door since it was transparent, so he went to investigate a chest that had suddenly appeared. After opening that, he broke open a crate that had appeared, causing the doorframe to become solid. He picked up and tossed a barrel, causing the door to become fully solid. He went through the door and was suddenly back on Destiny Islands. Sora looked around at his friends Wakka, Tidus, and Selphie. They each asked a question about his personality and after he answered was once again swept off the island on to a platform with a blonde woman in a blue dress printed on it. Sora walked to the middle of the platform and was instantly surrounded by Heartless. He destroyed them, one after the other. A green circle appeared on the floor, allowing him to heal himself. Sora then followed a long staircase to another platform. Halfway up, he looked back only to discover that the steps he had already stepped off of disappeared. As he walked to the 

middle of the other platform, a brunette woman in a yellow dress printed on the floor, he gazed at a light high above him. As he did, a voice told him, "The closer you get to light the greater your shadow becomes." Sora quickly looked behind him, and was shocked to see his shadow become three-dimensional and grow. As it grew Sora ran to where the stairs had been, only to find that they had all disappeared. He turned to face the threat, and was amazed to find a hole in its torso shaped like a heart. The voice spoke to him again, saying "But don't be afraid. And don't forget…" Sora then attacked the monsters hand continuously. After his defeat, the giant Heartless began pounding the ground, causing Sora to fall over and black pools to form where the monster hit. As he was consumed by shadow, Sora heard the voice once more. It said "- But don't be afraid. You hold the mightiest weapon of all. So don't forget: You are the one who will open the door." Sora awoke to find Kairi standing over him on the beach.

Sora did not know whether he had been dreaming or not. Anyway, the trio spent the rest of the day building the raft. The day after that, Sora looked for food for the trip. He looked for mushrooms in a cave that he and his friends called Secret Cave. He was surprised to meet a shadowy figure in there. It said, "This world has been connected. Tied to the darkness…soon to be completely eclipsed. There is so very much to learn. You understand so little." When Sora replied that he was going out to learn everything he could and asked who the stranger was, the figure replied "A meaningless effort. One who knows nothing can understand nothing," and vanished. That night, a storm suddenly formed over the islands. Sora rushed to check on the raft, only to find that Riku and Kairi beat him to it. Shadows began popping up around Sora. He ran to find Riku on the mini island nearby. A red and black orb had formed over it. Riku said something about the door now being open, being able to go to another world, but maybe never seeing their parents again. Riku extended his hand in invitation, just like in the 'dream', but Sora refused, and in doing so, resulted in Riku being consumed by shadow and leaving without him. A huge key suddenly appeared in Sora's hands. He slashed at a shadow that had appeared, destroying as he had done in the 'dream'. He was amazed. Sora left to look for Kairi, destroying any shadows that crossed his path. He found Kairi in Secret Cave, the entrance to which had been replaced by doors. She looked faint, whispered "Sora…" and went through him like a phantom. He was blown back outside by a strong wind to the mini island, but Riku had been replaced by the giant Heartless, named Darkside, and the orb high above the island. Sora easily defeated him, only to be sucked up into the orb, off to another world, called Traverse Town.

Sora awoke to find a large dog washing his face. The dog ran away and Sora was left alone. He went into the Accessory Shop where he met Cid, one of the people who had fled from Hollow Bastion. Sora explained what had happened and Cid told him that he'd look after Sora if he didn't find Riku and Kairi. Sora left to explore Traverse Town. When he went into the Second District, Sora was frightened to see a man run out of a shop. He fell onto the ground and, with a gasp and a shocked look on his face, had his heart pulled from his chest. A Soldier Heartless popped up in front of him and disappeared. Sora found more Heartless as he explored. Eventually Sora returned to the Accessory Shop to heal himself and talk to Cid. When he left, a man in black clothes approached him. He said something about the Keyblade, wondered aloud why it would choose a kid like Sora, and demanded to see it. Sora told him there was no way he would get it, and in doing so was challenged. The man, named Squall Leonheart, preferably called Leon, was one of Cid's friends. Leon defeated Sora quickly. Leon's friend Yuffie came and helped take Sora to the hotel they were staying at. Leon told Yuffie that things seemed much worse than they had thought. When Sora regained consciousness, Yuffie and Leon explained about the Heartless and the Keyblade. Next door, Aerith, yet another Hollow Bastion escapee, told the same story to a mage named Donald and a knight named Goofy. They had been sent by King Mickey, who had left his kingdom to investigate why stars were going out at the rate they were and coincidentally was the same king who went to Hollow Bastion. They were to find the Keyblade and its wielder and to protect him on his or her journey. Sora opened a chest on the table with the Keyblade. A Soldier Heartless suddenly appeared in the room and Leon told Yuffie to run. As she charged through the door that connected the two rooms, she squashed Donald between the door and wall, as he was about to go through. Aerith exclaimed "Yuffie?" and followed. Leon threw the Heartless out the window and he and Sora jumped out after it. Leon told Sora to find the leader, whatever that meant, and left Sora to fend for himself. He went to the Third District. Goofy and Donald came out of a store one level above Sora and were greeted by Heartless. When they tried to fight them, the Heartless threw Goofy and Donald over the edge and they landed on top of Sora. They immediately recognized the Keyblade and the threesome were engaged in battle with Soldier Heartless. After the defeat of the Soldier Heartless, a huge Heartless made of armor challenged them. The trio fought the Heartless and decided they would stick together until they had sealed all the keyholes and rid the worlds of Heartless.

Their adventures took them to: Wonderland, where they met the first princess, Alice, and proved her innocence for attempting to steal the Queen of Hearts' heart, although Ansem kidnapped her during the fight that broke out after the trial; the Deep Jungle, where they met a man named Tarzan who was raised by gorillas and they saved the gorillas from both Heartless and a poacher named Clayton who had opened his heart to the darkness; the Coliseum, where they competed in multiple tournaments, fighting Heartless, Leon, Yuffie, Hercules, Hades (who was in league with Ansem), Cerberus (Hades' three-headed dog), two titans, another Hollow Bastion escapee named Cloud Strife, and Cloud's enemy Sephiroth who was the strongest opponent in all the worlds, even stronger than Ansem; Agrabah, where they met another princess named Jasmine, but she was taken by Jafar who was another helper of Ansem and later fought Kurt Zisa, a robotic Heartless which spun blades, switched back and forth between disabling Sora's magic and disabling his physical attacks, and had a head which looked like a cobra; they were swallowed by Monstro, the whale, and found a puppet with a heart, Pinocchio, his 'father' Geppetto, and Riku, but he refused to join Sora, Donald, and Goofy; Halloween Town, where the trio met Jack Skellington, who wanted to use the Heartless for a Halloween festival, found the instructions for the machine Ansem had invented to create Heartless artificially, and battled Oogie Boogie (yet another assistant of Ansem); they went to Atlantica, an underwater world of mermaids and fish, and met a mermaid princess named Ariel and her father, King Triton, who knew of the Heartless, Keyblade and even who Sora and his friends were, and did battle with Ursula, a fourth assistant of Ansem; they went to Neverland, where they met Peter Pan and his pixie friend Tinkerbell who taught the trio to fly and glide, found Kairi, and fought Captain Hook, the fifth villain, but lost Kairi again; and finally they went to Hollow Bastion itself.

Sora met a prince there, who was turned into a monster named Beast, but Sora lost the Keyblade to Riku, the true wielder, and Donald and Goofy abandoned Sora. Sora and Beast found Riku again and the Keyblade, Donald and Goofy returned to Sora since Riku had turned to darkness. After climbing to the top of Hollow Bastion, Sora and company then had to fight Maleficent, Ansem's right-hand assistant. After that battle, Riku unlocked the darkness in her heart with a special Keyblade, and Maleficent was turned into a dragon, which Sora, Goofy, and Donald had to slay. After the final battle, a heal point appeared where the first battle with Maleficent occurred as well as a pathway leading to another battle with Riku. When the trio got there, they found the Princesses of Heart- Belle, Snow White, Aurora, Alice, Cinderella, Jasmine, and Kairi, much to Sora's surprise. Sora found Riku on a platform with Kairi. Riku told Sora that Kairi's heart was in Sora's and Riku tried to unlock it. Sora refused to let him and had to battle him alone since a wall prevented Goofy and Donald from helping. The battle allowed the princesses to go free. After the battle, Sora picked up Riku's Keyblade and unlocked his heart. Kairi awoke and Sora disappeared in a shower of stars. Ansem then came to Kairi, Goofy and Donald and was about to destroy them, but Riku, whose body was being possessed by Ansem, resurfaced and prevented Ansem from attacking until Kairi and the others got away. After Ansem left, a Shadow Heartless emerged. This Heartless was Sora, and he followed his friends' path. He reunited with them in the entrance hall of Hollow Bastion. Donald bopped Sora on the head with his staff and told him to leave them alone, but Kairi knew it was Sora. Real Heartless attacked and Kairi protected Sora, who then remerged as himself, clutching Kairi close to him.

Sora and company took Kairi back to Traverse Town, where they found out that Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, Cid, Kairi, and Ansem were all from Hollow Bastion. Kairi was left with Leon and the others while Sora, Donald and Goofy returned to Hollow Bastion to seal the world. Afterwards they went back to Traverse Town to prepare for their final battle.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy went to The End of the World. They went through multiple portals to get to the final battle. They found a door and a heal space in the last room. When they examined the door, Sora heard the voice he heard in his 'dreams'. It said, "Careful. This is the last haven you'll find here. Beyond, there is no light to protect you. But don't be afraid. Your heart is the mightiest weapon of all. Remember, you are the one who will open the door to the light." Sora was the only one who could hear the voice. Sora, Donald, and Goofy went through the door together. They ran out into the light. Sora was astonished to find that they had come to Destiny Islands. Sora knew that something was wrong. Wakka, Tidus, and Selphie were nowhere to be seen, the bridge leading to the mini-island, ladders, and trees all disappeared, and Sora could not go through any doors, into the shack, or into the water. Their footsteps also made squishing sounds instead of thumps as they walked and kicked up purple dust instead of yellow sand. When they went to see the Secret Cave, something stopped them from going in. They heard Ansem speaking somewhere. He said exactly what he had said to Sora when he went to investigate the island: "This World has been connected."

"What was that?" Goofy cried as the mini island disappeared behind him.

"Tied to the darkness… soon to be completely eclipsed. There is so very much to learn. You understand so little." Ansem paused, almost as if Sora were uttering his reply. "A meaningless effort." The island shook and more pieces of it started disappearing. "One who knows nothing can understand nothing." When Sora and his friends turned around, Riku was standing at the edge of the island, which was now in midair, and he looked out over the ocean now under the island.

* * * * * * * * * *

Sora, Goofy and Donald ran down to the beach where Riku stood. They stopped just before they reached the ledge.

"Take a look at this tiny place. To the heart seeking freedom, this island is a prison surrounded by water. And so this boy sought to escape from his prison. He sought a way to cross over into other worlds. And he opened his heart to darkness," Riku said, although he sounded suspiciously like Ansem. As Riku turned, he did indeed turn into Ansem.

"Riku!" Sora cried.

"Don't bother," Ansem told Sora. "Your voice can no longer reach him where he is. His heart belongs again to darkness. All worlds begin in darkness, and all so end. The heart is no different. Darkness sprouts within it, grows, consumes it. Such is its nature," Ansem disappeared. Sora, Donald, and Goofy looked around frantically as Ansem continued. "In the end, every heart returns to the darkness whence it came," Sora jumped back when they turned to find Ansem standing behind them. "You see, darkness is the heart's true essence."

"That's not true!" Sora exclaimed. "The heart may be weak. And sometimes it may even give in. But I've learned that deep down, there's a light that never goes out!"

Ansem raised his arms, crossed them, and rose into the air.

"So, you have come this far and still you understand nothing. Every light must fade, every heart return to darkness!" Ansem yelled ferociously, and a Heartless appeared behind him, holding him in the air and attacking for him.

Sora, Donald and Goofy vigorously fought Ansem. They defeated him easily. After his defeat, a large crater was formed in the middle of the island and Ansem and his Heartless floated to the middle of the crater. Sora healed himself with an elixir and followed in hot pursuit, Goofy and Donald obediently behind him. Sora jumped into the crater, but an invisible wall blocked Donald and Goofy.

A Darkside rose from the ground, Ansem nowhere to be found. Sora slashed at its hand, easily killing it. After the defeat, Ansem and the Support Heartless challenged Sora alone. Sora nearly passed out, he was so tired, but he managed to defeat Ansem with his Ragnorak ability.

* * * * * * * * * *

Everything became so dark that he could barely see Goofy and Donald. 

"Wha…?" Sora cried.

"Behold the endless abyss! Within it lies the heart of all worlds: Kingdom Hearts!" Ansem yelled triumphantly. Sora looked around quickly, but could not find Ansem. "Look as hard as you are able. You'll not find even the smallest glimmer of light. From those dark depths are all hearts born. Even yours,"

Sora gazed down and was shocked to find that he, Donald, and Goofy were suspended in midair. He let out a loud gasp.

"Darkness conquers all worlds!" Ansem screamed triumphantly. A large ship made up of what looked like muscle, a head on the front and a large Heartless on the back, flew under them. Ansem was connected to it, shirtless with tendon-like cables connecting him to the ship. Sora, Donald, and Goofy fell through the air, screaming. Donald and Goofy were sucked into the depths of the ship, but Sora missed it completely and continued to fall.

"Whoa!" he screamed when he realized he missed the ship. As he fell, he thought he heard Riku talking to him.

"Giving up already? Come on, Sora. I thought you were stronger than that."

Sora fell a few more yards, and then flew back up using the glide ability he learned in Neverland. He flew right up to Ansem and drew his Keyblade. Ansem drew a double ended, double edge sword. They hacked away at each other for what seemed like hours. When Ansem could not take anymore, he withdrew into the ship, a shield covering him. A large, rainbow colored spot of plasma formed and Sora flew into it, only to appear in a dark room inside the ship with the blue Heartless symbol on the floor and filled with Shadow Heartless. He destroyed them, and a blue orb that was attached to the ship by a tendon appeared. Sora hit it three times and was amazed to find himself outside the ship again. He attacked some tentacle things attached to the outside of the ship and went through another plasma portal.

"Sora!" Goofy cried. A crowd of Darkball Heartless stood between Sora and Goofy, but the duo defeated them easily. They destroyed another orb, this time yellow, and shot out of the ship. They attacked the head (which bit at them and sent lightning bolts after them) and more tentacles that guarded it. The head settled after hundreds of hits and a portal formed in its mouth. Sora and Goofy shot through like rockets.

"Sora!" came Donald's cry. A crowd of Invisible Heartless appeared, but they were easily destroyed by Sora, Donald, and Goofy. They sliced and diced at a third red orb and shot out of the mouth just in time. They had barely cleared it when the head exploded. The main part of the ship under Ansem, which had been sealed off by an invisible wall, now opened up revealing four tentacles and a large, jelly-like thing. After defeating the tentacles and jelly monster, Ansem reemerged, and the final battle began. Sora, Donald, and Goofy slashed, cast spells, and charged Ansem for what seemed like forever, leaving only to heal themselves. Donald, Goofy, and Sora were all about to give up, when, with one spinning blow, Sora defeated Ansem.

* * * * * * * * * *

The ship began trembling, and then began exploding. Sora, Donald, and Goofy flew away as fast as they could towards the door to Kingdom Hearts, but Ansem was already between them and the door. He was obviously pissed off, as he was shaking and glaring at them, orange eyes glowing with hate.

"It is futile. The Keyblade alone cannot seal the door to darkness," he said quietly. He turned towards the doorway, extended his hand, and yelled to it. "Kingdom Hearts! Fill me with the power of darkness…" the doors opened slowly, shadow pouring from them. "Supreme darkness…"

"You're wrong," Sora called to Ansem. "I know now, without a doubt. Kingdom Hearts… is light!" The doors burst fully open and brought forth a brilliant light at these words. Ansem recoiled as if in pain.

"Huh… So…light! Guh… B-but why?" he said slowly. The light seemed to rip through him like a sword and he disappeared in a flash.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy landed on the ground in front of the door and ran to it.

"Come on!" Sora cried, pushing one of the doors as hard as he could. Donald and Goofy pushed the other one. Goofy took a quick glance inside and let out a terrified and surprised gasp.

"Stop staring and keep pushing!" Donald told him. He turned to look, too. "Huh?!"

"THE HEARTLESS!" Donald and Goofy screamed. They immediately began pushing harder.

"Hurry!" Donald yelled.

"I can't…" Sora gasped weakly.

"Don't give up!" Riku had appeared on the other side of the door. "Come on, Sora! Together, we can do it!"

"Okay!"

Riku began pulling the door, while Sora, Donald, and Goofy pushed. The doors were closing too slowly. Darksides had begun emerging and were making their way towards the door.

"It's hopeless!" Donald cried in despair. Suddenly, the Heartless began to explode. It was as if the Keyblade had hit them, but Sora hadn't gone near them.

"Oh?" Goofy stared into the room.

"Huh?" Donald said. A figure jumped into sight from a lower level.

"Your Majesty!" Donald and Goofy exclaimed joyously. They had finally found King Mickey.

"Now, Sora!" King Mickey called in a squeaky voice, drawing another Keyblade. "Let's close this door for good!"

"Close it, quick!" Donald urged.

"But…" Sora didn't want to leave Riku and King Mickey in Kingdom Hearts. He especially didn't want to lose Riku again.

"Don't worry," Mickey said. "There will always be a door to the light."

"Sora, you can trust King Mickey," Goofy told him reassuringly. Somehow, Sora knew that Goofy was right.

"Now! They're coming!" Riku screamed.

"Donald, Goofy, thank you." Mickey told them, looking back one last time. Sora, Donald and Goofy pushed at the door.

Just as the doors were about to close, Riku looked back at Sora, right into his eyes, and said so quietly Sora could barely hear, "Take care of her…" Sora stiffened, and finally nodded. Riku and Sora looked at each other as the door closed, and in the clunk of the doors closing, Riku and King Mickey were gone. Tears filled his eyes as Sora drew the Keyblade and locked the door. On the other side, Mickey did the same. The door disappeared as lights surrounded it. Donald, Goofy and Sora stared up after the door. Sora turned to see Kairi in the distance. She was gazing around, looking confused. Sora ran to her. Donald tried to follow, but was stopped by Goofy, who laid a hand on his shoulder as if to say "let him go…" and the two of them stared after Sora sadly as a light began to glow behind them as if calling them home.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Kairi!" Sora called.

"Sora!" Kairi replied. They stood by each other, when the ground began to tremble between them.

"Whoa!" Kairi screamed. Sora grabbed her hand to keep her from falling as the two of them began drifting apart.

"Kairi," Sora told her. "Remember what you said before? I'm always with you, too! I'll come back to you! I promise!" Kairi looked at him, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I know you will!" Their hands were separated, and they watched each other as they drifted farther and farther apart.

Kairi held her hands together. A spot of light landed in them, and she looked towards the sky. Lights were falling from it. Destiny Islands began popping up around Kairi. Sora was barely visible. He called something to her, but she could not hear the words. He vanished, and a bright light shone in the distance where Sora had vanished. Meteors began to fly up from the light in the water towards the sky. They formed the stars. Kairi looked out to where Sora had been a minute ago. She closed her eyes, Sora's last words echoing in her mind - _I'll come back to you! I promise!_ And, as she opened her eyes, she knew that Sora had told her the truth.

The next day, she walked around Destiny Islands. She went into Secret Cave and gazed at the pictures she, Sora, and Riku had carved on the walls when they were little. She approached the ones that she and Sora had drawn of each other. Her heart sank as she saw what Sora had added.

A special star-shaped fruit, called a paopu fruit, had a strange power. According to legend, if two people shared one, their destinies became intertwined. Kairi could see Sora carving a hand coming out from below his head, reaching towards Kairi's head, a paopu offered to her. Kairi laid her hand on it and laughed. Tears began flowing down her face. When she left, another arm with a paopu was present, only this one extended towards Sora.

* * * * * * * * * *

Shortly after, Sora, Donald and Goofy were walking along a dirt road on some distant world.

"Well, now what do we do?" Donald looked at Sora, whose hands were behind his head.

"We've gotta find Riku and King Mickey," he said simply.

"But, uh, where do we start looking for that there door to the light?" Goofy asked. The trio stopped and sighed, dropping there heads and hands in despair. Sora heard something and looked up.

"Huh?" The large dog that had woken him up in Traverse Town walked out of the bushes.

"Hey, there Pluto. Where have you been?" Goofy asked. Pluto was King Mickey's dog. The pooch had left with Goofy and Donald, but had not been seen since running from Sora. He had an envelope in his mouth. "Hey, that's the king's seal."

"Can you Find King Mickey?" Sora asked slowly. Pluto went bounding in the other direction. Goofy and Donald looked at each other happily. Sora began chasing after Pluto. "Guys, let's go!"

The trio ran after the loyal pet, laughing and yelling. Sora thought he heard the voice calling him as he ran.

"Remember Sora. You are the one who will open the door to the light."

* * * * * * * * * *

After this incident, Sora, Kairi, and Riku went on to have other adventures fighting the Heartless and Ansem. They defeated him for what they thought was the last time in the year 2025 A.D.

But what they didn't know was that he had left traces of himself among the worlds that Sora never went to. Somebody could revive him, if they had they right equipment. If that ever happened, he would reemerge stronger, more powerful, smarter and more determined than before. They learned this after a couple of decades, when someone came dangerously close to reviving him. Sora, Kairi and Riku hid all traces of Ansem somewhere no one would find them.

But what if somebody did find the traces and revived him? What if the descendents of Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, Cid, and Cloud had to rise up to face him? This is where our story unfolds…


	2. Finding the Wielder

****

Chapter I

Finding the Wielder

The young woman woke early. She had been awoken by her cat, which had never gotten out of the habit of walking across her early in the morning to wake her up.

"Go away. Give me ten more minutes," she muttered. The cat meowed and left, but the young woman did not manage to fall back to sleep. She climbed out of bed, wrapped up in her bathrobe, and went into the bathroom to take a shower. Her mother hadn't woken up yet. When she checked the time on the hall clock, it read 5:57 a.m. The young woman crept to the bathroom noiselessly. She turned on the water and took a long, hot shower.

She pulled on her robe forty-five minutes later and gazed into the mirror. The image looking back at her was a twenty-three year old woman, tall, slender, and with a somewhat larger chest than the average woman. Her curves were natural, causing every woman who saw her to become green with envy. She had black hair down to her waist, and brilliantly sapphire eyes. It was hard to believe that such a beautiful young woman had, until a few days ago, been the lead singer and guitarist of a half female, half male band. They were called Black Phoenix. Their specialty was remixes of past rock hits, but they did have quite a few original pieces. Unfortunately, they had begun to have arguments about the songs they performed. The young woman had decided that, for the good of the group, they should split up, at least for a little while, and do some of the things they had dreamed of doing earlier in their lives: get college degrees, get married, start their own families. They had begun touring when they were only fifteen, so their teenage years weren't exactly normal. The members were all from the same town, so they decided to go back to where they had lived as kids. This was where this woman was now- her old house.

The young woman lingered at her reflection for a few more moments and crept back to her room. The hall clock now read 7:03 a.m. She went into her closet and pulled out a black t-shirt and black hip-hugger bellbottom sweatpants. She dressed and went downstairs. Her mother had almost finished fixing breakfast.

"Morning, sweetie," she said cheerfully.

"Morning Mom."

"So, are you going to see Anselm today?" her mom asked.

"Yeah. We haven't seen each other in eight years. He probably doesn't even remember me," the young woman said sadly.

"Now, don't talk like that," her mother told her reassuringly. "I talked to him a few days before you got here," she said, putting a plate of pancakes and sausage in front of her daughter. "He misses you so much. He told me that he has all of your music chips,"

C.d.s were called music chips in the year 3025 A.D. since they were 2 inch by 3-inch squares made of metal and plastic.

"Really? We haven't put out a music chip in a while. Even at that, we never put our pictures on or in the cases," she moaned, a piece of sausage half way to her mouth. She slammed her fork down on her plate. "Besides, just because he has all our music doesn't mean he keeps up with the news about us."

"Well, somehow I think he'll know exactly who you are," her mother said, smiling and laying her hand gently on her daughter's shoulder.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Around 10:30 that morning, the young woman arrived at the dojo where she had learned to fight and defend herself when she was a preteen. She climbed out of her convertible and walked up to the door, black boots clomping on the sidewalk, chain belt jingling at her side. As she entered, she was greeted by a dozen kids putting on shoes to leave. A handsome young man with spiked black hair was talking to the kids as they left.

"I'll see you all on Monday. Have a good weekend," he called. As the last of the children left, the instructor made to go in his office. He hadn't even noticed the young woman.

"Somebody seems chipper today," she called. The young man stopped and stared at her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. May I help you? I'm kind of in a hurry," he asked hurriedly.

"Yeah, you can as a matter of fact. I was a student here almost a decade ago. Thought I'd come see what's changed. The school hasn't changed one bit," she told him, gazing around at the studio. She turned to the young man. "And neither have you."

"I'm sorry, but I don't remember you. Perhaps you mean my brother?"

"No, I'm pretty sure I mean you. But now that you mention it, how is he?" The young man looked at her with a worried look on his face.

"Don't worry, I'm not a stalker or anything," she chuckled. "Do you remember about eight years ago? A student you really cared about left to start a singing career with some of her friends around that time," Her old master still looked confused. "You never parted company without a kiss, no matter if anyone was watching or not. The two of you slept together once, too. You kept asking her to sleep with you again, you enjoyed it so much, but she always refused because it's against the law for people to make love to each other if one is an adult and the other isn't. You swore to each other that no one would find out about the one time."

"Stop it!" he yelled suddenly. "Just shut up! Yes, we kissed, but I never slept with her!"

"You don't know. You still don't remember. Would you recognize her if you saw her again?"

"Of course. How could I not? She was the most beautiful student I ever had," he said quietly.

"You've seen her, Anselm, but you haven't recognized her."  
"How did you know my name? What are you talking about?"

"Maybe this will help your memory," she said, coming so close to him that she could see her reflection in his deep brown, almost black, eyes. She laid a hand on the back of his neck and kissed him. After pulling away, he looked relaxed and calmer than he had been before. He looked at her strangely.

"You still don't remember," she said quietly and sadly, her eyes filling with tears. "I'm sorry to have bothered you," she said to him, hand on the door to leave.

"Wait," he said, laying a hand on her shoulder. She reached up and took it. "I do remember. No one ever kissed me like you did. No one ever kissed me like Bergljot did."

Bergljot turned around swiftly to find a wide, opal smile on Anselm's face. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and kissed him again.

"God, I missed you," Anselm whispered. "I assume you haven't told anybody about…you know…what we did…"

"I guess you haven't either, the way you reacted when I brought it up," Bergljot replied, a few stray tears dripping down her face. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you it was me, but I had to be sure that you…well, you know…"

"Remembered you?" he finished.

"Yeah. I mean, what would have been the point of me coming all the way out here and saying 'Hey Anselm its me, Bergljot!' if you didn't know who I was?"

They stood and laughed for a few minutes. Finally, something that had been bugging Bergljot burst from her mouth before she could stop it.

"Hey, how are things with you and Acacia? I know you got married just after I left. Have you become a father yet?" she joked.

"Actually, we got a divorce about six years ago," Anselm said, an unusually glad look on his face. Bergljot didn't catch it.

"I'm so sorry. I know you loved her."

"Correction. I thought I loved her. When you said you were leaving, I guess I just needed someone to fill in the gap in my life. After you left, I wasn't very happy. I was getting depressed. Acacia was furious. I would rarely have sex with her, so she demanded a divorce. I think we got along better when we weren't married, anyway," He smiled. "Between you and me, sex was the only reason she married me in the first place."

"Well, I'm glad you got a divorce. If she wanted a divorce just for that, she mustn't have been much of a wife," Bergljot said.

"Hey, how about having lunch with me? I'm going over to Gwandoya's house," Anselm asked her. "He missed you, too, you know."

"I would love to," she answered.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Anselm and Bergljot were soon riding down the road in her car towards the woods where Anselm and Gwandoya lived.

"There have been so many changes since you left. I finally got the pool installed in my backyard and my house by the lake is finished."

"How about Doya? Does he even go by that any more?"

"Yeah, he likes it better than his real name. He only lets family call him by his full name. Anyway, he and Gilda are doing okay. Zita is becoming such a beautiful young lady," Anselm explained.

"I can't wait to see my goddaughter. She's eight now, isn't she?"

"Hell, yeah," Anselm laughed. "Drives her parents crazy. Oh, I almost forgot. They had another baby about four months ago."

"Really? Boy or girl?" She inquired excitedly.

"Boy. They named him Omega. Cute as a button, too."

The two of them rode in silence down a dirt road (taking the right fork) that didn't seem to have an end. It was Anselm's turn to ask a question before really thinking about it.

"So, how many boyfriends have you had? All the tabloids say you've had a different one every day and that you've been dating the male members of the group."

"Well, with all the touring and being on the road so much, I really haven't had much time for one. I've talked to a lot of guys and done a lot of charities with other singers and actors, but I've never gone out with any of them. As for the band members, they're just my friends. Why do you ask? Are you…dare I say it…jealous, Anselm?" She gave him a criticizing look.

"I was just curious. I was wondering if the rumors were true," he replied hurriedly as they pulled into Gwandoya's driveway.

Anselm got out of the car and a very thin young man walked outside to see who was there.

"Oy, Gwandoya!" Anselm called.

"Hey, bro. What brings you here so early? Lunch isn't for another twenty minutes. Gilda was going to pick you up in a little while," Doya called.

"Class let out early and I got a ride from a friend. Traffic wasn't as bad as usual either," he said as he and Bergljot walked up to the porch. "Speaking of my friend, I brought her for you to meet."

"Hello. You know, you look very familiar. Have we met before?"

"I hope we have. I mean, I've only been the godmother of your daughter ever since she was born," Bergljot smiled. Doya stared at her for a moment, as though he didn't think it was her.

"Bergljot?" he finally managed to say. He looked at her closely. "Shit, it is you! I'd recognize your eyes anywhere!" He wrapped her up in a huge hug. "It's great to see you again. You've grown so much."

"In more ways than one," Anselm breathlessly muttered under his breath, taking a fleeting glance at her chest.

"Zita will be so glad to see you. She loves your music. Her mother and I won't let her listen to some of the more…err…adult songs, but she loves 'Black Phoenix.' She'll be so excited," Doya told her with a laugh.

They walked into the kitchen. A little black haired girl was climbing onto the counter.

"Zita! Get down from there!" Doya ran to get his child off the counter. "You're eight years old! You know better than that!"

"I'm hungry! I want a peanut butter and jelly san'wich."

"Alright. I'll get you a sandwich. Now go give Uncle Anselm a hug," he chuckled, shook his head, and began making the sandwich. Zita saw her uncle and ran to give him a hug.

"Uncle Anselm!" She wrapped her small arms around his waist. Anselm laughed and picked her up as if she were a flower. "I missed you!"

"Yeah, I guess twelve hours is a long time to a little girl."

"I'm not a little girl! I'm bigger then Omega!"

"You have a point there. Come here and meet your godmother," Anselm turned to Bergljot, who had been standing in a corner nervously. She jumped when she saw Anselm bring Zita over to her. Zita looked at her with wide eyes and a dropped jaw.

"Hi Zita. You've gotten so big since I last saw you. You were Omega's age when I left."

"You're from 'Black Phoenix' aren't you?" she gasped.

"Yeah. Your daddy tells me you're a big fan." Zita nodded rapidly in reply.

"Lunch is ready, baby," Doya called to Zita. "Go to the bathroom and wash your hands."

Doya, Anselm, and Bergljot sat down at the table to eat their lunches. Just as they were comfortable, Zita was back.

"Daddy, Omega's crying and kind of stinks," she yelled to him. Doya rolled his eyes and stood.

"Would you two mind watching her? I'll be down in a minute," he muttered exasperatedly. He was gone the next second, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like 'I always hated being a freaking babysitter.' Zita sat down and began eating slowly, watching Bergljot unblinkingly the whole time.

"She doesn't have cooties and she doesn't bite, you know. You could be a little more polite," Anselm told her after a few minutes of this.

"No, it's okay, Anselm. I don't mind. Really," Bergljot assured him. Anselm shook his head and laid his hand on hers.

"Anselm and Bergljot, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," Zita began singing through a mouthful of sandwich.

"Zita, leave them alone," Doya said, returning with a small bundle in his arms. "They haven't seen each other since you were born."

"Yes, sir," Zita said with a sad look on her face.

"And don't even think about giving me the Bambi eyes."

"Is that Omega?" Bergljot interrupted, sensing a family feud as Zita opened her mouth to argue.

"Yeah," Doya grinned. Bergljot could just see the baby's face through the oversized blanket. Doya had taken a bottle out of the fridge to feed him. "I hope you don't mind, but Gilda and I named you godmother to him, too."

"What would be the point of me being the godmother to one child and not the other?" Bergljot replied. "Speaking of Gilda, where is she?"

"Grocery shopping. She'll be back soon."

"Gwandoya, I'm back!"

"Soon meaning the next two seconds," Anselm joked. They all started laughing, even shy Zita. Gilda walked into the kitchen with two armloads of groceries.

"Here, let me help," Bergljot offered, relieving Gilda of a couple of bags.

"Thank you," Gilda said. Bergljot helped Gilda put everything away. Gilda was amazed that Bergljot didn't need to ask where to put anything. "Excuse me, but you seem very familiar. Have we met?"

"Yeah, mommy, she's m-" Zita was cut off by her father putting a hand over her mouth.

"Are you sure you don't recognize me? You're husband and brother-in-law did," Bergljot turned to face Gilda. She looked into Bergljot's eyes for the first time.

"OH MY GOD! Bergljot, is that you?" she hugged her almost as tightly as her husband had.

"No, it's her evil twin, and your breaking my ribs," Bergljot said sarcastically. Everyone in the room laughed, even Omega who was much too young to understand.

"You look great! Your sense of humor hasn't changed either."

"Your looking good, too, considering you had a baby four months ago. Congratulations," Bergljot smiled.

"Thank you. Speaking of which, give me my little one," Gilda walked over to Doya and carefully took Omega.

"He's so cute," Bergljot muttered.

"Yeah, he's getting more like his father every day."

"I am pretty good looking, aren't I," Doya said braggingly.

"Who said I was talking about looks? I was talking about how noisy he's been lately," Gilda shot back. Everyone cracked up. Even Doya couldn't resist laughing.

"Does Omega really need that big of a blanket?" Bergljot asked.

"Yes. You'd be surprised at how cold it gets in this house," Gilda said. "I don't want someone so defenseless catching a cold or the flu."

"He's still too young to get any major shots," Doya added. Gilda then left to finish feeding Omega (he had finished the bottle) and put him down for a nap.

"Zita, why don't you and I go upstairs and find a game to play or something?" Doya suggested.

"No. I want to talk to Bergljot," Zita whined.

"Baby, your uncle and godmother haven't seen each other since you were Omega's age and size. I think they want to be alone for a little while," Doya whispered to her.

"Oh I get it. You want me to leave so Bergljot and Uncle Anselm can make kissy faces at each other like you and mommy do late at night when you think I'm upstairs sleeping, right?"

"Zita. Come. Now," Doya took Zita's hand and took her upstairs. Just as he walked through the kitchen door, he looked back and told them, "Sorry for her little outburst. I'll come back down after I get her busy with something."

"Actually, we were going to go for a walk in the woods for a while," Anselm stood.

"We were?" Bergljot inquired as she stood, too. Anselm winked at her and gave her a play along sort of look. "Oh, yeah, we were. I don't know if we'll be back any time soon. I might head home as soon as we return."

"Alright," Doya winked at them. "We'll be here. Have fun and…uh…stay out of trouble, if you know what I mean," he winked again. As Anselm and Bergljot walked outside, they could hear Zita whining: "Why can't I go in the woods? I'm a big girl! Why can't I go with them? What kind of trouble will they get into?"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Bergljot and Anselm walked through the woods in silence, hand in hand for a while. They came to a small lake and sat down on one of the rocks by the shore. They took off their shoes and dipped their feet in the water. After a few minutes, Anselm looked out over the water and began speaking quietly to Bergljot.

"See that little box on the other shore? That's my cabin. I wish it had been finished when I was first married. It's a perfect place for a honeymoon," he whispered. Bergljot looked and saw a small cabin with a chimney.

"How many rooms are in it?" she questioned.

"Two. The smaller one is the bathroom. The living room, kitchen, and bedroom are all in the larger room. It's also got a deck out back. It stretches out to the lake, far out enough to fish."

They sat in silence again. So many thoughts were racing through their minds, neither of them knew which to bring up first. Finally, Bergljot mustered the courage to ask about something strange she had noticed about Doya.

"Is Doya alright?"

"Why do you ask?" Anselm looked at her quizzically.

"Nothing, I guess. Its just…" she trailed off.

"Just what? Come on, you can tell me. I still care about you, and from the way you've been acting, you still care about me."

"Well, I don't know. He looked…tired."

"He just had a baby, you know. There's nothing unusual about that combination." Anselm shrugged.

"I know, but it's something else," she began to think. "His eyes looked empty. He didn't look like he really comprehended what was going on. He looks like…well…I don't really know how to explain it. I guess…he looks like he's scared or something. Almost like he's been having really frightening nightmares that haunt him during the day, too."

"Well, he has been having nightmares."

"When did they start? What about? Or does he even share?" she asked.  
"He's been having them every night for the past month," Anselm sighed. "The last one he told me about took place in a cave. He had followed a man there. A giant black thing swallowed him up at the entrance to the cave. The other man used some kind of device to make the monster back away and leave him alone. Doya saw through the monsters eyes as the man took something from a nook in the cave wall."

"What was it?" Bergljot asked, starting to get a little excited. Anselm hesitated a few seconds, but finally whispered to her.

"A scarlet, bloody, pulsating _heart_." Bergljot clasped a hand to her mouth as she regretted trying to visualize it.

"What kind of heart? Who's was it?" her voice shook.

"He's not sure, but it wasn't connected to anything. The scariest part was that it had to have been there for a long time, it was covered in dirt, but it was still beating, still red, and still had blood all over it and dripping out of the valves. Doya isn't sure what's causing the nightmares. He thinks they may mean something. A very bad something. He won't admit it, but Gilda says he's been waking up screaming and sweaty, sometimes even crying. He never wants to go back to sleep, and the dreams always happen at around two-thirty in the morning."

"Wow. Poor guy," Bergljot whispered.

"Lets not talk about that anymore. I want to talk about something else," Anselm stood and walked off the rock. He waded into the water until it was up around his knees and took off his shirt.

"You've got more muscle than the last time I saw you shirtless," Bergljot pointed out as she walked down to him.

"You're a bit…um…bigger yourself," he glanced at her chest again. Bergljot smiled sheepishly.

Fifteen minutes later, they were laying on the rock, soaked and laughing. Anselm gazed at Bergljot.

"You're so beautiful. Actually, you're even more beautiful than the last time I saw you."

"Thanks. You look even handsomer yourself," she gazed back at him. They sat up and Anselm took her face in his hand.

"You know, looking at you in this light, your eyes have a kind of glow to them. They look beautiful," he leaned in and kissed her slowly and gently. Bergljot smiled at him. "Hey, Bergljot?"

"Hmm?"

"How 'bout you spend the night tonight? It's getting kind of late and I don't want anything to happen to you on the ride home. That dirt road can be pretty dangerous at night with the forest animals walking across and being so poorly lit," he suggested, a slight glint in his eyes. Bergljot got a surprised look on her face. "Come on, we're both adults now. We won't get in trouble."

"It's not that. Anselm, I would love to, but I swore to my mom I would spend the first week at home with her. She's been so lonely since my father died," Anselm looked a little put out.

"Alright. Some other time."

"But you know, I could come next Saturday night," she said slyly. One of Anselm's trademark opal smiles spread on his face.

"Sounds great," he whispered and kissed her again. He put his shirt back on and Bergljot put on her boots and belt. When they got back from their walk, Doya and his family were sitting outside.

"Well, I've got to get going. It was great seeing everyone again. I'll be back next weekend," Bergljot told them. Everyone gave her a hug and kiss. Anselm walked her down to her car. He held her hands for a few extra seconds and kissed her.

"You're sure you won't change your mind? My offer still stands."

"Yeah, I'm sure. My mom is probably worried about me by now," she said. They kissed one last time and Bergljot got in her car and drove home, watching Anselm in her rearview mirror until the first curve blocked him from her view by trees.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A week later, Bergljot was driving back up the dirt road (this time taking the left fork in the road) to get to Anselm's house, right next door to Doya's. She got out of her car and was instantly pulled into a hug by Anselm. They kissed, and then brought Bergljot's sleepover things inside.

"I was thinking about going down to the lake around sunset. It's so beautiful that time of day."

"Sounds great," Bergljot agreed as they ate lunch. "You didn't plan my whole visit did you?"

"Of course. Not. I just figured we might go out to an early dinner, walk it off out back, maybe go swimming, and then go to bed. Course, we don't have to do all or just those things. We don't have to do it in that order if you don't want to, either," he hinted.

"Okay. This will be fun. What time is sunset tonight? About nine o'clock, isn't it?"

"I think so. I want to be in bed by midnight, though," they had finished lunch and were now sitting in the living room. Anselm moaned. "I'm so sore. Those little kids wear me out."

"Poor baby," Bergljot stood up and walked behind him. "Here, let me help," she said and began massaging his neck and shoulders. Anselm made sounds of pleasure at this gesture.

"Ooh…hmmm…that feels so good…ah…come here," he said and grabbed her arms, flipping her over the couch and into his lap. They started laughing hysterically for a few moments, and then kissed each other. "Now that's the kiss I remember…" he said softly. They sat kissing for a few more moments, but a knock on the front door interrupted them from continuing.

"Ugh. Let me go get that," Anselm rolled his eyes. Bergljot slid off his lap and he went to the door. Bergljot heard him talking to someone, and the next moment Doya was walking into the living room.

"Hey," was his short greeting.

"Hey. You okay? You didn't look like you were feeling well last weekend," she inquired.

"It's nothing," he said quickly. "I'm fine. Between the new baby and work and my…problems…at night, I'm pretty stressed and haven't been getting much sleep. That's all."

"You know, if something's bugging you, or you ever need to talk to anybody about anything at all, you can come to me. I don't know if I can help much, but if it'll make you feel better to just talk…" Bergljot trailed off. Doya had stiffened and looked slightly upset.

"I…no…see, I…just…never mind. It's nothing, I just…no, I can't," he stuttered. Anselm returned with a bag containing eggs and sugar.

"Have fun cleaning up after her," he chuckled.

"Thanks, man. Zita was really upset when we ran out of cookie ingredients. Have fun you two. Behave yourselves," Doya said as he left.

"Gwandoya, could I speak with you for a moment?" Anselm requested. Doya nodded and went to the front porch with his brother. "I'll be right back, babe," Anselm said as he went out the front door.

Bergljot sat and gazed around the living room. Pictures sat on the fireplace mantel. They were of everything: Doya and Gilda on their wedding day, their children, even Anselm on his wedding day. A couple of pictures in particular caught her eye. Bergljot walked over to the fireplace to look at them. One was of her and Anselm, sitting by the lake together, taken when she was fourteen. She could remember the day it was taken clearly. It had been her fourteenth birthday. Her mother had been out of town on business and Anselm had offered to take care of Bergljot, which he did _very_ well. It was the first time she and Anselm had slept together. She could almost feel Anselm's hands running over her body. She shivered, trying not to think about it. Doya had almost caught them. Had he seen them, they would have been in deep, deep trouble. Had they been caught, Anselm would have gone to prison for ' contributing to the delinquency of a minor' and Bergljot would have probably gone to Juvenile Hall. Bergljot turned her attention to another picture. It was of Anselm and Gwandoya as teenagers, probably taken around the time their family moved to her town. It was unusual. They stood next what looked like a brightly colored spaceship. Anselm held some sort of staff and Gwandoya clutched a large, circular shield. Bergljot stared at it, eventually picking it up. She gazed a little longer. Suddenly, she felt as though she was being pulled backwards at a speed that felt faster than that of light. Scenes flashed past her eyes and surrounded her. They seemed somewhat familiar to her, although she couldn't remember ever actually seeing them. A voice that came from the back of her mind startled her. _You are the one…who will open the door…to the light…_ The picture fell on the floor, glass frame shattering, and the next thing she knew, she was falling backwards, one arm outstretched as if reaching for an invisible person standing in front of her, the other arm slowly falling behind her to break the fall. Everything started turning black and the last thing she heard was Anselm screaming "Bergljot!" from what sounded like a great distance. The last thing she felt was him catching her as she completely blacked out.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Bergljot awoke and sat up quickly. As she did, a sharp pain shot through her head, so painful it caused her to see stars. She was blinded for a few moments as she was gently pushed back down.

"Lay still. That was a pretty nasty fall," came Anselm's voice. It sounded as though he was speaking through a pillow. Bergljot felt something soft and cold against her forehead.

"Anselm?" she whispered.

"I'm here, babe. You're okay. Everything's fine now."

"What happened? I was just looking at that picture, and the next thing I know I'm being pulled backwards and falling," she said weakly.

"Hush now. Don't say anything. You've had a rough time, just relax," he urged. But Bergljot was already sitting straight up and her eyes were wide open. The compress on her head slid off.

"You know why that happened, don't you? Why won't you tell me? I need to know. What the hell happened? I've never passed out like that. What the hell were those things you and Doya were holding? God, Anselm, why won't you an-" Bergljot started jerking and coughing. Anselm rushed a bucket into her hands and the next second she was vomiting in it.

"Babe, I'd love to tell you. You know I would," Anselm began, tucking Bergljot's hair behind her ears and out of her face.

"Then why…hack…won't you…ugh-huh…" she tried to say between heaves.

"Tell you? Well, it's not the right time. When the time comes, I'll explain everything. Why did it have to be that picture?" he wondered aloud, carefully picking up the shards of glass.

"I felt like I was being pulled to it. It was like it was calling me," she answered, wiping her mouth on a towel lying next to her.

"Then you must be…no, not you. It couldn't be…this must be a mistake…yes, a mistake, that's it…but still…it _called_ to you…" he rambled on in this manner for a while, until finally Bergljot felt she would explode.

"What the hell are you talking about? Damn, why won't you tell me what's going on?" she screeched, resulting in another coughing fit. Anselm sat by her on the couch. He laid a hand on the one she clutched her heaving chest with. He clasped the other one with his other hand. Anselm brought his face inches from hers.

"Now listen to me. I will tell you everything if and when the time comes. I swear to you. Just promise me one thing," he said in a low voice.

"What's that?" she asked, trembling a little.

"Promise me that you'll never ask about this until that time comes. You have to swear you'll never bring it up. If you do bring it up, I'm going to ignore the question and I'll never tell you what happened. Promise me?" he pleaded. Bergljot took a deep breath.

"I swear on all that is Holy," she said, a tone of regret in her voice.

"That's my girl," he whispered as he made to kiss her.

"One question though."

"What's that? Remember, you swore," he reminded her.

"You don't have to tell me anything about the picture, but…how long was I out?" she asked quietly. Anselm sighed.

"About three, maybe four hours. I haven't left your side the whole time."

" I guess dinner's out then, huh?" she smiled weakly.

"No, we still have some time if we want to watch the sunset," Anselm told her and kissed her. "Do me a favor," he said, pulling away. "You wouldn't mind brushing your teeth, would you? No offense, but your breath tastes pretty bad."

"You don't think my throwing up has anything to do with it, do you?" she asked very sarcastically

"No, I can't see why it would," Anselm replied just as sarcastically. They hugged and laughed for a few minutes. 

"Hey, Anselm, what were you and Doya talking about?" she questioned.

"Oh, nothing," Anselm replied quickly.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Four hours later, they were pulling back up the driveway, stomachs full and belts considerably looser than they had been when they first went out.

"So, was it enjoyable enough?" he asked.

"Delicious. It was wonderful," she muttered sleepily.

"The night isn't over yet. Don't you go falling asleep on me, now." Anselm told her.

They got out of the car and walked into the woods. Anselm went off the path and told Bergljot to follow him. The woods were so overgrown that she could barely keep up.

"Do you know this is one of the most fertile, most pure areas left in the world? You wouldn't believe how many people want to buy my property. And the prices they offered! I'm telling you, what some people won't do to get a taste of the country life," Anselm laughed. In the woods, Anselm was nimble as a deer. He barely stumbled. He came to a large boulder, twice Bergljot's height, which sat by the lake. He climbed on top easily.

"Just because I was a singer and had to keep in shape doesn't mean I'm a freaking rock climber," she gasped. Anselm laughed and reached down to help her up. As she reached the top, she fell to her knees and gasped for breath.

"Why…the hell…did you…go off the…easy…path?" she panted.

"Why? Well, the path doesn't lead to such a beautiful place. You do realize it would look a whole lot better if you looked up," he pointed out. Bergljot stood and looked up at the sky across the lake. She gasped and stared wide-eyed.

"Oh, my god…Anselm, this is beautiful," she managed to say. She looked at him. "You okay?" Anselm was gazing out over the lake at the beautiful sunset. The sun was large and blood red, the clouds deep purple and light pink. The sky surrounding the sun was red, and the rest of the sky melted modestly from crimson to indigo. It looked as though someone had taken a paintbrush and watercolor paint, painted a sunset, and then spilled water on it, running the colors together. Anselm's eyes were filling with tears, and he was breathing shakily. He sighed.

"I'm fine. It's just…I'm a little nervous," he muttered.

"About what? We're pretty much in the middle of nowhere, there's no one around," Bergljot pointed out, walking up to him and laying a hand in his.

"Bergljot," Anselm said, squeezing her hand and gazing at her with a faraway look in his eyes. "I've loved you ever since we met when you were eleven years old. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever known. Sit down," he told her. He let go of her hand and she sat on the highest point of the rock. Anselm walked a little lower and turned to face the lake. "I care more about you than anything in the world, even my own life," he turned to gaze at her again. The sun made him look as though he was surrounded by fire. He walked over to her and kneeled. He took her hand in his again and continued. "You're perfect. I've never felt this way about anybody else," he whispered. He took a deep breath and pulled a small box out of his pocket. When he opened it, Bergljot was shocked to see a diamond ring.

"Anselm…you mean…?" she whispered.

"Yes. Bergljot," he said, taking the ring out of the box and slipping it on her finger. "Will…will you marry me?" he proposed.

"Oh, Anselm," she was on the verge of tears. She smiled at him. "Any woman who would say 'no' has to be crazy. Of course I will," she whispered. They wrapped their arms around each other and kissed. After a few minutes, Anselm looked at her.

"How 'bout a swim before heading back?" he suggested. Shortly after, they were swimming in the lake together. When they got out and Anselm was about to put his shirt on, Bergljot stopped him.

"Why shouldn't I put it on?" he asked.

"Your tattoo. I love it."

Anselm had a tattoo of two dragons intertwined around a sword on his chest, right over his heart. Bergljot ran her fingers over it lightly. "It's so awesome."

"You do realize that now that you're part of the family, you have to get one."

"I do? Seriously?"

"Yeah, It's kind of a tradition. Every permanent member of our family has to get one. The tattoo is supposed to give protection to the person it's printed on. It's the family crest. It's kind of a belief that runs in my family," he explained. They had already started walking back to the house.

"What if we decide to divorce?" Bergljot wondered aloud.

"I don't see that ever happening," Anselm said, grabbing Bergljot by the shoulder and looking at her square in the eyes. He smiled and kissed her. They continued walking to the house, discussing wedding plans and their honeymoon. When they got inside, Anselm went upstairs to change for bed. Bergljot took a glance at the disturbing picture on the mantel.

_It looks so familiar…_she thought. It began calling to her again. She was half an inch away from touching it, arm raised to pick it up and gaze at it again, but a call from Anselm brought her back to reality. She lowered her arm, backed away and ran up to her new fiancé. When she got upstairs, she looked as though she had been badly spooked.

"You feel okay? You look pale and feel clammy," Anselm informed her, laying a hand on her face. "Look, if you don't feel up to this, we don't have to."

"No, I'm fine. I just…never mind," she wanted to scream at him and demand to know what the picture meant, but she remembered that if she mentioned it, she would never find out. She left to change into her nightclothes. When she got back, Anselm had lit some incense. She went up to him and kissed him.

"You look great," he whispered.

"You, too," she whispered back.

"Ready?" he laid his hands on her shoulders.

"And willing," she put a hand on his neck as their lips touched.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The new couple fell asleep around two o'clock that morning. Anselm lie on his back, one arm wrapped around Bergljot's shoulders, the other holding her hand. Bergljot lie on her side, stretched along his body, head resting on his tattoo, one arm across Anselm's chest, clutched in his hand and her other arm was under his neck and shoulder. They were the best-looking couple anyone had ever seen.

Anselm woke up around seven in the morning. He watched Bergljot sleep for a while. She was so beautiful, even when she was asleep. He finally leaned in close and gently kissed her forehead. Bergljot's eyes fluttered open immediately after.

"Hey," he whispered.

"Hi," she said sleepily. They lie in bed for a few more minutes, enjoying each other's company. Bergljot sat up and made to get out of bed.

"Where're you going?" Anselm asked, sitting up and laying a hand on her shoulder.

"I was going to go get dressed. Why? Want to help me?" she said in a voice as though she was talking to a baby. Anselm laughed and put his arm around her. They looked at each other and kissed.

"Hey, thanks. That was better than…well…you know, that other time," Anselm whispered as he pulled away. "Feeling better than last night?"

"Much, thanks for asking," she told him. "Look, I know I swore I wouldn't bring it up, but…"

"If you can't resist, go ahead. I'm not promising I'll answer, but since you just gave me the best night of my life, I'll let it slide this one time."

"Before I came up here last night, I took a quick glance at the picture. It was calling me again. I was about to examine it some more, but you called for me and I was brought back to my senses."

"I don't know what to tell you," Anselm said sadly. "All I can say is that you'll find out when the time comes."

"Alright. I'll wait," she smiled. She gave him a peck on the cheek and got out of bed to get dressed. Anselm watched her as she picked up her clothes and went into the adjoining bathroom to shower and change.

_God, she's so damn beautiful. Just look at that body…no, no I can't get involved like that again. Not if she's who I think she is…Maybe Gwandoya can help…_Anselm thought as he got out of bed. He pulled on a pair of sweatpants and picked up the phone.

Next door, Gwandoya lay in bed, sweaty, pale, tired, and tearstains clearly visible on his cheeks. He jumped as the phone rang next to his bed. He picked it up slowly and said in a shaky voice, "H-hello?"

"Gwandoya, I need to talk with you."

"Anselm? What's going on?"

"I asked her last night."  
"Really, what did she say?" Gwandoya asked excitedly.

"She said 'yes'. But that's not why I called," Anselm's voice trembled.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I don't know," Anselm whispered. "Just after you left, I went back inside. Bergljot was looking at the picture of us and _The Isra_."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Doya said, shaking his head even though Anselm couldn't see.

"I'm not finished. When I saw her with the picture, she was staring wide-eyed at nothing, dropped the picture, and began to fall. I called to her, but she either didn't hear me or couldn't react. I caught her just before she hit her head on the coffee table. After she came to, she said that the picture had been calling to her. Bergljot told me this morning that it called to her just after we got back from the lake."

"You don't think she's…_his_ descendant, do you?" Doya asked.

"I'm not sure. That's why I called. She kept demanding that I tell her why she reacted that way, but I told her I couldn't tell her until the time comes. She swore on all that was Holy that she wouldn't bring it up."

"You didn't sleep together last night, right?" Doya said, lowering his voice. "_Right_ Anselm?"

"Actually, we did. Hey, I wasn't sure, okay? We're engaged now, you expect us to just sit around like a couple of old people?" Anselm hissed angrily at Doya's moan of frustration.

"Shit. You do know that you could have jeopardized this whole thing? If she gets pregnant, we can't travel to other worlds. All worlds will fall."

"What whole thing? He's dead. Our ancestors made sure of that a thousand years ago. Besides, we were very safe last night."

"I don't know about that. There's no such thing as safe sex any more. Anyway, you know those dreams I've been having?" Doya lowered his voice even more.

"Yeah?" Anselm took the hint and lowered his voice, too.

"Well, last night was worse than any of the others. I was in a laboratory. That man was working on something under a sheet on a table. There was a lot of blood. The last thing he put in the…whatever…was that heart from my dream last week. As soon as the heart was in, he started chanting. I tried to stop him, but I was in a glass canister filled with some kind of green fluid and electrodes were coming out of my nude body. I felt like some sort of experiment or something. Anyway, I was screaming and banging on the glass at the man to stop, but he either didn't hear me or didn't pay any mind. He got louder and faster. When he finished, the thing under the sheet started breathing and stood up. He saw the scientist, who explained what had happened to the other man. The second man asked what year it was and where he was. The scientist of course answered. The man thanked him and then…" at this point, Doya's voice was shaking and he started crying.

"What happened? Come on, Bergljot will come in here any minute. Just calm down and tell me," Anselm begged. Doya sniffed, took a few deep breaths, and continued.

"He stole the scientist's heart. Ripped it right out of his chest. The scientist gasped and vanished. The heart turned into a you-know-what. _HE_ saw me. His orange eyes glowed with hate and he broke open the case. He reached in and…he…and he ripped into my chest and took my heart. I woke up screaming, crying, and sweating so much that nearly the whole bed was soaked. Gilda woke up and looked at my chest, right over my heart. She told me to go in the bathroom and look at it. I could barely stand, so she helped me into the bathroom. There was a cut over my heart. Right in the middle of my tattoo. I couldn't sleep after that. That was at two-thirty this morning."

"Oh, shit…" Anselm whispered. Bergljot came out of the bathroom. He didn't even notice. "So…you mean…He has…"

"Yeah. We need to be on our guards. I now know what these dreams mean. They were warnings. Anselm," Doya began crying again. "He has been revived. He has returned." And he hung up.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Anselm and Bergljot had dinner at her house that night. During dessert, they decided that they had better tell Bergljot's mother.

"Hey mom, umm," Bergljot tried to say.

"What is it? You know you can tell me anything," her mom said sweetly.

"Maybe I should tell her," Anselm suggested. Bergljot nodded in agreement. "I love your daughter very much. She's the gentlest, most beautiful woman in the world. If you would allow it," Anselm took Bergljot's hand. "I want your daughter to be my wife. I swear I'll take care of her for the rest of our lives. I'll treat her the way she deserves to be treated. I'll respect her, I'll be there for her," he let go of her hand.

"Well, Bergljot, is that what you want?" she asked her daughter.

"Yes, mom. I love Anselm. He doesn't treat me like most guys. He isn't after my money or anything. We deeply, truly love each other."

"Then I see no reason why you shouldn't be together. If that's what the two of you really want, I don't see why you two should be separated. My best wishes to you both," she said as she reached across the table and laid their hands together. "If that ring is any indication, it doesn't look like I'll be able to stop you, anyway." The three of them laughed.

After dinner, Anselm and Bergljot sat on the garden swing out in Bergljot's garden. They kissed for minutes at a time. Finally, they began talking about the wedding.

"Should it be in a church or outside?" Bergljot wondered, her head on Anselm's shoulder.

"I think we should choose a date first," Anselm suggested, his head resting on hers, holding her hands.

"Guess you're right. They say you should be engaged for at least six months before getting married. How about early July?"

"Sounds great. How about a garden wedding, then?"

"I just had a better idea. How about we have the wedding at a church and the reception at a garden?" Bergljot excitedly suggested.

"Perfect. How about our honeymoon?" he asked.

"You said your cabin would be the perfect place for a honeymoon. We won't be too far from family if something happens, and if we run out of food there or anything we can just walk to your house, pick up the stuff, and be back in less than a day."

"I love it," Anselm leaned towards her and kissed Bergljot, something they had been doing quite a bit the past few days. Bergljot pulled away with a worried look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Anselm asked.

"I'm beginning to have second thoughts," she whispered.

"What? Why? If it's something I've done tell me, I won't do it any more," Anselm began to panic. "You're the most beautiful woman in the world. I don't want to lose you."

"No, it's nothing like that. It's just…" Bergljot hesitated. She finally blurted out, "Just because I'm not singing anymore doesn't mean I'm not going to be hounded by reporters."

"So?" Anselm shrugged and shook his head.

"So the tabloids will be making up all these stories about us."

"And your point?"

"Look, I don't want you getting hurt or anything. Your family will read the stories and think both of us have become…oh, I don't know…sluts or something like that. Doesn't that bother you?" Bergljot was shocked to see Anselm staring at her, glaring at her.

"Why would that bother me?" Bergljot's jaw dropped. "Look, as long as we know the rumors aren't true and as long as we love each other it doesn't matter what the papers print. I'm not going to let it get to me, and I suggest you don't let it get to you either," he leaned in and kissed her again.

"I guess you're right. I'll try," she whispered.

"I love you," Anselm said quietly.

"I love you, too," Bergljot whispered back. They kissed yet again, and Bergljot's eyes turned to the sky. "Oh, look! A meteor shower! I didn't know there was one tonight. It's so beautiful," she said. Anselm's eyes shot up. He turned pale. Silver and blue meteors were shooting across the twilight sky.

"Yeah…beautiful…" he muttered. He looked at his fiancée.

_She has no idea…_he thought, watching her stare in awe at the collapsing wall of a world, signaling its downfall. He clutched her hands even tighter.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A few months later, Bergljot was trying on her wedding dress, a seamstress making last minute adjustments. A knock on the door took Bergljot's attention away from the mirror she was admiring herself in.

"Can I come in?" came Anselm's voice.

"You do know it's bad luck to see the bride right before the wedding, right?" she laughed.

"Since when have you been so superstitious?" he demanded. "Can't I take a peek? Please?"

"Quit whining, I hate it when you do that. The wedding is in another hour. You can wait that long, can't you?"

"Alright. See you in a few," and he was gone.

An hour later, he was standing by a priest, family and friends standing behind him, his brother by his side. Bergljot was walking down the aisle. Anselm's breath caught in his chest. Her sleeves were connected to the rest of the dress at the armpits, and the sleeves were slit, halves connected at intervals by gold rings. A silver veil connected to a silver headpiece covered her face. Bergljot's dress was slit in the front, starting at her knees and continuing to her feet. White boots could be seen behind the belts that criss-crossed the slit. It was tight around the torso, making her chest seem even larger than it was. Her band members were shocked to see her wear white; they had seen her in black nearly every day since they began singing. Bergljot was the most beautiful bride any of the guests had ever seen.

A short while later, the gold wedding rings had been placed on the fingers, the vows were said, and the final 'I do's' were commencing.

"Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do," Anselm said with a slight nod as if to confirm his decision.

"And do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do," Bergljot answered with a slight glance at her new husband.

"If anyone here has any objections to the uniting of these two persons, speak now or forever hold your peace." Bergljot held her breath at these words. Gwandoya took a breath as if he was about to object, but he quietly sighed and remained silent.

"Well then. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Anselm turned to Bergljot and lifted her veil. She was wearing bright red lipstick and a tad bit of blush. Her eyelashes were big thanks to the mascara. Anselm was taken aback. His eyes looked as though he were dreaming. They shared their first kiss as husband and wife.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Bergljot and Anselm took a limo to the garden where the reception was being held. As soon as they got there, everybody wanted to talk to the newlyweds at once. Anselm and Bergljot approached her mother first.

"You look beautiful," she hugged her daughter, tears filling her eyes. "If only your father could see you."

Bergljot's father had been killed when she was thirteen by a drunk driver. She missed him terribly, but touring had helped get her mind off of it.

"I miss him," Bergljot said sadly.

"Try not to think about it. This is a happy day for the both of you."

Anselm and Bergljot walked away and approached Gwandoya and his family.

"Congratulations. You looked beautiful up there," Gilda hugged both of them.

"I like your dress. It's pretty. Can I have it for my wedding?" Zita complimented.

"Ick," Omega exclaimed.

"Well, that's your opinion," Bergljot said to him. Everyone started laughing except Gwandoya. He was standing away from them, keeping a close eye on his sister-in-law. Bergljot saw this and walked up to him.

"I guess we're brother and sister now," she said casually.

"Don't expect me to call you 'sis' or anything," he muttered bitterly.

"What's wrong? You looked like you wanted to object to our marriage. Gwandoya, why won't you talk to me?"

"The girl's a genius!" he exclaimed to her sarcastically. He started walking away. "Oh, and don't ever call me Gwandoya again. You may be my brothers wife, but that doesn't make us family."

As he walked off, Anselm laid a hand on her shoulder.

"What's his problem? He was always so nice to me, but now that I'm family…"

"He just doesn't know how to react. To him, you're still one of our students. Gwandoya just can't accept the marriage of a student to her instructor. He thinks it's improper and a sign of disrespect," he shrugged. "He has…a lot on his mind right now. Give him some time. It'll just take him a little while to adjust." The couple stared after him as he sat by the fountain and gazed into the water.

The couple had cake a few minutes later. A short while later, they were shocked to hear Black Phoenix pick up their instruments and microphones and begin singing, even though they were a member short.

"This song is dedicated to our best friend, the bride, Bergljot," said the backup guitarist, Zimli. Everyone applauded as Bergljot's face turned bright red. "Also to her new husband, Anselm. Congratulations, and the best of luck to you both. Anselm, you couldn't have married a better person." The band started playing one of their very few slow songs. Anselm offered his hand to Bergljot. She took it and they began dancing slowly. More people joined in moments later. The wedding would have been perfect, if only Gwandoya could have accepted the marriage.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Three hours later, Anselm and Bergljot arrived at the cabin. He carried her across the threshold and kissed her before sitting her back down. Bergljot gazed around the cabin. A fireplace stood on one side of the room, a rug in front of it and a bed right across the room. A refrigerator stood in a corner with a stove, sink and counter space. A small table with two chairs sat by the fireplace. A dresser sat behind the front door. Another door next to the bed led to the bathroom.

"Anselm, this is wonderful. It must have cost you a fortune," she whispered.

"Not quite, but close enough. You looked beautiful this afternoon," he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Thank you. I wasn't sure if it was too much or too little."

"It was perfect…" Anselm gazed at her and they kissed. He walked over to the kitchen area. "Are you hungry? I can fix some dinner if you want."

"Yeah, I'm a bit hungry. Can I help?" she offered.

"No, I was just going to grill some chicken," he pulled some chicken out of the fridge. Two hours later, they were sitting on the rug in their pajamas, kissing and talking to each other about their future plans.

"I may take some online courses and get a college degree," Bergljot mentioned. "It's really not fair that you should work while I stay at home with nothing to do."

"You know, you're welcome to help me teach the kids. Most of them grew up listening to you. When I told them I was marrying you, they all wanted to come to the wedding," he laughed. Bergljot smiled. Her eyes had a dreamy look in them. The only light in the room was the light from the fire. She stared at Anselm. "What? You keep staring at me," he questioned.

"Your eyes. They look so mysterious and beautiful in the firelight. I never noticed how lovely they are," she whispered.

"Thank you," Anselm smiled. He laid a hand on Bergljot's face. "Your eyes look just like they did the night I proposed," he leaned in to her so far, she had to begin to lay back. They kissed more passionately then they ever had before, and lie there for what felt like the whole night, the warmth of the fire only intensifying the passion.

Okay, okay. I know the first chapter is a little…err…sensual, but it gets less so in the next chapter. Chapter one basically introduces the characters and their relationships towards one another. There will be parts like these periodically, but they will be very small. As for chapter 2, I will post it if I get at least 3 positive reviews, so send them in people! After the story 'heats up' a little, the number of reviews will increase, so you have been warned! If I get no readers or positive reviews, I will remove the story permanently. You will find that there are a lot of Final Fantasy crossovers, especially on the first world, and about halfway through there will be a continuous crossover. The characters are being based on people I know, so if you know me, look for a character that looks similar to you and has your attitude! I apologize if this is hard to read.


	3. History Lesson 101, Part 1

****

Chapter II

History Lesson 101, Part 1

Bergljot and Anselm stayed at the cabin for a week swimming, fishing, hiking, and doing a few more things too graphic to describe. After they got back from their honeymoon, they were shocked to find that Gwandoya still refused to accept Bergljot as family. Bergljot took a job at the dojo, but she proved to be more of a distraction than help. The only thing the kids could think about was getting her autograph and talking to her after class.

"See? I told you the kids would love you," Anselm pointed out two weeks after Bergljot had begun working. Classes for the day had ended and they were sitting in the office, enjoying the rare quiet.

"Yeah, I guess so. I don't feel like I'm helping much, though. I think I get them too off task," she said.

"Well, just having you around here helps," Anselm reassured her, gently kissing her hand.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A few weeks after that, Bergljot was sitting at home alone. Anselm had gone out. He left before she awoke, so he wrote a note for her. It said:

Dearest Bergljot:

Good morning. If you are reading this, I have

not returned yet. I can't tell you where I have gone.

Whatever happens, stay at home. I mean it- _stay inside the house_.

If you have to leave for any reason, call Gwandoya and he will

come to get you. _Do not attempt to leave the house unescorted_. I will

return as soon as possible. If anything happens to me, I will contact Gwandoya

and he will be there to pick you up. If he shows up and you did not call him,

drop whatever you're doing and go with him _immediately_.

Strange things have been happening lately.

I have gone to try and figure them out. I hope to be home soon. I love you.

With great love,

Anselm

He had been gone a long time. Bergljot was practicing her guitar when there was a knock on the front door. Before she could even put her guitar down, Gwandoya was rushing into the living room, a scared look on his face.

"Doya? What's going on?" she asked him.

"I just got a call from Anselm. We have to meet him at the dojo. He said it was urgent and it was important that you be there," he said the last part bitterly.

"Alright. Let me put on my boots real quick and we can leave."

"Just grab them and let's go. You can put them on in the car. We don't have any time to waste," he turned on his heel and ran out to his car, Bergljot right behind him. She paused to lock the door. Gwandoya called back to her. "Leave it unlocked. If any one tries to get in, Gilda will hear."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Gwandoya drove as fast as he could. Bergljot was getting frightened.

"What's going on? Why do we have to get there so quickly?" her voice was trembling.

"You'll find out when we get there," he snapped, his voice angry and frustrated.

"All I did was ask a question. I just want to know what the hell's going on, okay? You don't have to bite my fu-"

"I SAID you'll find out when we get there, now shut up!" he turned to glare at her. She was devastated. Bergljot stared at him. He was stone-faced and obviously angry. Gwandoya had never spoken to her like that. He was always so calm, and now all of a sudden he started to diatribe her every time she turned around. They were silent the rest of the drive.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Half an hour later, they were walking into the dojo, Anselm nowhere in sight.

"Where is he? They better not have gotten him," Doya and Bergljot took off their shoes and walked onto the mat.

"Who are 'they'? What might have happened?"

"Hush!" he hissed suddenly. No lights were on. The whole studio was dark. It was spooky. The shadows even seemed to be moving. Bergljot walked to the middle of the room.

"What are you doing? Get back here!" Doya whispered.

"Why? Nobody's here. What's there to be afraid of?" she asked, not bothering to keep her voice low. Doya approached her.

"Anselm never told you did he?"

"Told me what? What are you staring at?" she asked. Doya had stiffened and was staring at something behind her. Bergljot looked in the mirror behind Doya and saw a pitch-black creature, three-quarters her height with blazing yellow eyes standing behind her. "Doya? What is that?"

"Get behind me and stay there," he ordered.

"I can't move," she mouthed. Doya rushed by her, and, looking in the mirror, she watched as he hit the creature with a shield that seemed to come from nowhere. It had just appeared in his hands. The creature disappeared in a wisp of black smoke. Bergljot was mesmerized. She turned to Doya.

"What was that thing?"

"I'll explain later," he said. "That shadow I just killed? Guess what? It has friends." He and Bergljot looked around at the shadows popping up from the ground. Doya moved in front of Bergljot, but the shield wasn't going to be much help. "Bergljot, go to the corner behind me and crouch down as low as possible. Make sure your heart is against the wall. Keep it covered," he commanded. She crept to the wall, sat, brought her knees to her chest and crossed her arms on her knees. Doya walked to the middle of the room. He held his shield at his side, muttered, "Come on, power," and held the shield with one hand. He began spinning around on one foot, as if he were a ballerina, the shield hitting and destroying the shadows leaping at him. After a few seconds, he stopped and was crouched low, the shield back at his side. He looked around. The shadows were still too many. Doya backed away to where Bergljot crouched. He crouched in front of her. "Anselm, where the hell are you?"

The shadows began advancing. One of them jumped at the frightened duo. Doya raised his shield in futile defense. A flame hit the shadow's side and made it evaporate in a puff of black smoke. The shadows turned their attention to the new threat.

"Anselm! Help!" Bergljot screamed. Anselm nodded and spun his staff.

"Force!" he yelled. A large black orb formed over the shadows. It grew until its circumference contained all of the shadows. They were flat against the ground when the orb vanished, but they popped right back up. He repeated this process, this time causing all shadows to disappear in black fog.

When the smoke subsided, Bergljot could see Anselm standing there, spinning his staff and catching it under his arm. His clothes were torn on his arms, legs, and torso, and there was a large chunk of his shirt missing over his tattoo. His hair was a mess and almost every part of his body was oozing blood from various cuts.

"Anselm! Thank God, you're alive!" she ran to him and wrapped her arms around him. She tried to kiss him, but he pushed her away. "What's wrong?" she was confused. 

"Bergljot, we need to discuss something," he said. "Gwandoya and I…"

"…Aren't exactly who you think we are," Gwandoya finished.

"What do you mean?" Bergljot stared at them.

"Sit down," Anselm led Bergljot to the middle of the room while Gwandoya turned on all of the lights. "You remember when you fainted and I promised to tell you why when the time came?" Bergljot nodded. "Well, that time is now."

"You've heard of that video game that was invented way back in 2002, right? You know, Kingdom Hearts?" Gwandoya sat and asked Bergljot.

"Oh, yeah, with the shadows and Disney characters. We learned about that in Technological History class. I've always wanted to play it, but Playstation 2 isn't compatible with our new televisions, and the game hasn't been made into virtual reality," she sounded somewhat disappointed.

"Well, you're going to get your wish. The events in those games were true," Anselm told her.

"You're kidding, right?" Bergljot couldn't believe her ears.

"No, we're not. Ansem was destroyed one thousand years ago. Our ancestors have prevented him from returning. Until now," Gwandoya pounded the ground ferociously. "Why didn't I figure out these dreams sooner?" Bergljot gave him a sideways look. "Oh, my nightmares. I had a dream the night you two became engaged that Ansem had been revived. I didn't figure the dreams out until then, after it was too late."

"You remember the meteor shower we watched the next night?" Anselm reminded his wife. She nodded, too shocked to say anything. "That was a world falling to Ansem. When the Heartless are unleashed into a world, the door to that place's heart is opened. That's how they get onto the world in the first place. This causes the walls around a world to collapse and makes the area accessible to those not from it. It looks like a meteor shower. If Ansem destroyed the world on which he was revived that swiftly, I don't even want to think how far he's gotten since then."

"Shit," Bergljot whispered.

"Exactly."

"So what are the Heartless?" she asked shakily.

"Those shadows that attacked us were Heartless," Gwandoya explained. "They're born from the darkness in hearts and people who have lost their own. There are different types. The ones that we saw were Shadow Heartless."

"I see. Sort of. What does any of this have to do with me? Wait. Scratch that. What does this have to do with you two? Before you answer that, what happened to you, Anselm?" Bergljot was beginning to get her voice back and was unsure which question was more important.

"I was attacked by Heartless on the way here. You have no idea how much trouble I've gotten into. Those things tried to steal my heart. They actually get pretty aggravating after a while."

"You should clean up those wounds before they become infected," Bergljot advised. Anselm didn't acknowledge it, but went on to answer her other questions.

"Gwandoya's ancestor is Goofy the knight…" Anselm began.

"…And Anselm is the descendant of Donald the mage," Gwandoya finished. Bergljot thought for a moment.

"So in other words, you guys are the descendants of a dog and a duck?"

"Don't be stupid," Gwandoya lowered and shook his head in annoyance.

"No. Donald and Goofy were actually humans. The creators of the game knew that the events were true and wanted to make a game of it, but they wanted to make it more appealing to kids," Anselm smiled at the clerical mistake he and Gwandoya had just made.

"And I suppose King Mickey wasn't really a mouse, either?"

"You catch on quick," Gwandoya nodded. "Because of our heritage, we've been sworn to protect the Keyblade wielder on his journey."

"Keyblade?" Bergljot's eyes lit up.

"Yes. It has the power to open or lock any chest, door, or anything else with a lock," Anselm informed her.

"Again, I have to ask. What does this have to do with me?"

"Well, when you fainted, you were looking at a picture of me, my brother, and our Gummi ship, _The Isra_. We used that ship to move here. It's just like a spaceship, only it takes much less effort to get it off of the ground," Anselm explained as Bergljot stared at him confusedly. "You reacted that way, because something inside you recognized the Gummi ship, my staff, and Doya's shield even if you didn't. It wanted to break out and make itself known. You're heritage was pushing it's way to the surface."

"And what might my heritage be?"

"We think…well, I don't want to get her hopes up," Anselm muttered the last part to Gwandoya so that Bergljot couldn't hear.

"Did you ever see a picture of the Keyblade?" Gwandoya asked in what seemed like a casual tone. At a nod of confirmation from Bergljot, he continued. "Can you picture it clearly?" Another nod.

"Fine, now close your eyes and visualize it. Try to feel it in your hands. Try to see yourself holding it," Anselm instructed her. Minutes passed. Anselm finally sighed. "I guess your not who we thought you were."

"Anselm, wait. Look," Gwandoya said in a hushed voice.

"No…oh…my god…shit…"

"What? What's happening?" Bergljot opened her eyes and looked at her hands. She gasped loudly. Small lights were dancing around her right arm and hand. The next thing she knew, a large silver key with a gold handle and a silver key chain hanging off of it was lying in her hand.

"You know who the hero is, right?" Gwandoya gaped at her.

"Yeah, his name's Sora," she whispered, turning the weapon slowly in her hands. Realization dawned on her. "Wait a minute. You don't mean I'm…"

"Yes, honey," Anselm looked at her with tears in his eyes. "You are the descendant of Sora. You are the Chosen One. You alone hold the power to destroy Ansem and the Heartless."

"No, this must be a mistake. I can't be," she told them.

"But you are. Look, I don't want to put you in danger, but you are the only one. The next person to wield the power after you will be our son. You are our only hope," Anselm whispered laying a hand on her shoulder.

"So why don't we have one? Why does it have to be me?" she demanded.

"Because he would grow up too slowly. By the time we conceived and the baby was born and grown old enough to handle this responsibility, Ansem could have destroyed all the worlds. It may take a few tries to have a son, anyway. We could wind up with only daughters. It has to be you," Anselm laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I have to talk to my mother. Did she know?"

"I don't think so. You wouldn't be so clueless if she did. She would have told you," Gwandoya spoke up.

"Wait a second. If the next wielder will be my son, should I have not received the power?"

"That's what's so strange. Only men should receive the power. Your father had it, too. If he hadn't died so soon, he would have told you. We would be traveling with him and training you," Gwandoya explained. "It may have something to do with the fact that you never had any brothers, so the Keyblade chose the next best thing. That's the only explanation that makes sense. Holy shit," he whispered.

"What?" Bergljot demanded. Anselm bit his lip.

"Your mother. See, Ansem wants nothing more than to kill you and any member of your family. He sees it as revenge on Sora."

"Oh, no, if the Heartless are here…mom…I left her alone. We have to hurry! I lost my father, I don't want to lose her!" she screamed.

"Wait, we need a plan. Do you know how to use that thing?" Anselm asked.

"I'll improvise," she hurried to put her boots on. They ran out to the car and drove to Bergljot's old house as fast as they could go.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

When they arrived at her house, a horrific sight met their eyes.

"No…mom…" Bergljot's eyes filled with tears. She watched helplessly as her house burned to the ground. They had seen Heartless fleeing the scene as they approached, so the house hadn't been burning for long. The flames had already spread to all corners of the house. Anselm drew his staff.

"I'm going to teach you to cast spells. Take the Keyblade like this…" Anselm showed her, adjusting the Keyblade so that it was lying straight out from her. "Aim at the flames, that's right, and say 'deep freeze.'"

"Okay. Deep freeze!" she yelled. "EEEK!" Ice crystals shot out of the end of Keyblade. They zeroed in on the flames and put them out.

"Excellent. That spell is called Blizzaga. I'll teach you more later. Right now we have bigger problems to take care of," Anselm told her. They began to put out enough flames to let Bergljot in to try to save her mother. Doya stood by watching them.

"Why don't you help us?" Bergljot demanded angrily.

"My job is not to learn spells. My job is to shield you from Heartless and destroy them. There is a shield that will let me cast Firaga and Blizzaga, but I need to find it before I can use it," Doya explained.

Bergljot and Anselm extinguished the fire fairly quickly. Bergljot ran inside, looking around frantically for her mom. She found her lying on the floor in her bedroom, burned cat held in her arm and a necklace clutched in the other hand. Bergljot took it. It was a silver chain with a silver crown charm on it. Her mother lay dead, burned not beyond recognition, but beyond help. Bergljot knelt and held her mothers ashy hand. Anselm soon joined her and put an arm around his wife. They carried the charred bodies of Bergljot's mother and cat outside, where Anselm finished burning them. They scattered the ashes to the winds. Bergljot, Anselm and Gwandoya stared out over the hill where the now nonexistent house once stood, Anselm's arm around his wife's shoulders. They stood in silence for a few minutes, each of them saying silent prayers for the recently deceased. One of them spoke up after a while.

"I'll do it."  
"What?" Anselm looked at Bergljot.

"I'll do it," she repeated, voice cold and hard, fighting to hold back tears. She looked at her husband. "I'll fight. I want my revenge. Ansem and the Heartless are not going to get away with this. If I don't do something, this could happen to other worlds and other families. If I help those people, maybe it will be like helping her. I don't believe it. I just found out about this, and I failed my first mission."

"I'll be with you every step of the way," Anselm said, laying a hand out, palm down. Bergljot laid her hand on his.

"And you?" she turned to Doya. "You're sworn to help, too, right?" He glanced at her with a look that plainly showed that he wanted to argue, even though she was absolutely correct. Doya laid his hand on hers. He laid his other hand on top of that, Anselm on top of that, and Bergljot laid hers on the very top to complete the pact.

"Let's do this for those who have been destroyed by the corruption of Ansem and the Heartless," she concluded.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

They returned home and explained everything to Gilda, Zita and Omega.

"I'm so sorry about your mother," Gilda said when they had finished. "But you're welcome to use this place as a hideout."

"Thank you, Gilda," Anselm bowed to her.

"How did you get here?" Bergljot asked.

"Excuse me? Don't tell me your twenty four years old and don't know about…you know…" Anselm stared at her.

"Of course I know _that_. I mean, if worlds are inaccessible to outsiders, how did you get here from Milburga?" Bergljot clarified.

"See, anyone who is a descendant of Sora, Donald, Goofy, Mickey, or Ansem can travel between worlds at will. Provided they have a Gummi ship, of course," Anselm explained.

"Which brings me to my next point. How do we get the Gummi ship? Do you have _The Isra_ hidden somewhere?"  
"Actually, our parents sold it just after we moved here," Doya confessed, standing by a window and gazing out at the woods. "We never thought this would actually happen. Our parents sold it to a man named Ace. I suggest sealing this world first, trying to find the ship while we do, and then leave this place to seal the other worlds."

"Should we start now or wait?" Bergljot stood and summoned Keyblade. Zita stared at it and her aunt with an open mouth.

"First I think you should learn to use that thing. Anselm, why don't you teach her? Your staff is closer to the Keyblade than my shield, plus the two of you are married."

"Why do you have such a problem with our marriage? It's been two months. Get over it," Bergljot told him angrily, walking up to him and putting her face inches from his.

"Why? I'll tell you. Gummi ships give off a special kind of radiation. To those who have been born, the radiation has no effect. To the unborn, the radiation can kill. If you got pregnant, we couldn't travel unless you wanted your child killed before it gets a chance at life. If we can't travel, Ansem will get even farther ahead of us. Personally, I think risking the life of one child, who technically isn't alive in the first place I might add, is a minor price compared to the death of an entire world," Doya explained to her.

"I get it now. You care more about destroying Ansem than you do about family," Bergljot said smugly. She never saw the attack coming. Doya grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into a wall, her feet dangling three feet off the ground. She could hardly breathe.

"Now listen to me. Family is the most important thing to me. I would do anything for my wife, children and brother. You weren't around when my parents died. You didn't see me. I was crying for a week. I barely ate or drank. If you think I don't care about family, I will personally take the Keyblade from you, as well as your life," Doya's eyes were wild and his teeth were gritted. Bergljot was on the verge of suffocation.

"Gwandoya, stop!" Gilda screamed, trying to grab his wrist and loosen the grip. He only tightened his grip. Zita shielded her eyes with a pillow and laid a hand over her baby brother's eyes.

"Gwandoya! If she dies, we all die!" Anselm yelled from halfway across the room. Doya froze and lowered his gaze to the floor. "If she dies, all worlds are finished. Ansem will destroy all worlds. She's our only chance to destroy him before he can destroy us."

Doya loosened his grip and lowered Bergljot slowly to the ground. She collapsed in a heap and gasped for breath, her face an unpleasant shade of purple. Anselm knelt by her while Doya sank into a chair and broke down into tears.

"I don't know what happened. The…the voices, they…told me…they told me to attack at that comment and I…said no, but…they took control of me. I'm so sorry."

"I'll help you find out why you hear these voices on two conditions," Bergljot's voice was raspy. "Protect me and fight." Doya managed a nod.

"Alright…okay…I'm not promising to accept you as family…but I'll protect you…and fight…" Doya whispered between sobs. Zita walked up to her father and wrapped her arms around him.

"I don't want any of you to leave. I love you, daddy," she whispered, giving Doya a kiss and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. A fresh wave of tears attacked Doya. He pulled his daughter onto his lap as he sobbed and squeezed her until she felt as though her ribs would break. Anselm and Bergljot went outside to let Doya handle his part of the family alone.

"You okay? I really thought he was going to strangle you," Anselm laid a hand on her cheek.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she shook her head. "Here, let me help you clean your wounds."

"No. I don't care about the injuries. I care about you. Look, I know you're hurting. If you want to talk about what happened earlier or you just want a shoulder to cry on, come to me. I'm going to keep my promise to your mother. I'll be here for you," he hugged his wife.

Bergljot was so touched and so upset about what had happened back at her house, she began crying more than she ever had before.

"Just let it all out. It's okay. Everything will be alright," Anselm whispered soothingly, gently patting her back and slowly swaying her back and forth. By the time she had calmed down, the tattered remains of both the shoulders on Anselm's shirt were soaked through.

"I'm sorry," Bergljot sniffed, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. "I just…I loved her so much. I knew she'd die at some point, but I never really thought about what would happen when she did. I don't know what I'm going to do without her."

"I know how you feel. When my parents died while you were still touring, I was really upset. I couldn't do anything. I didn't know what I should do. The feeling will pass. Trust me. It's been five years, and now look at me. I'm happily married and I'm about to start a journey into the unknown," Anselm kissed his wife gently. Doya walked outside the moment after, his face even more tearstained than Bergljot's.

"I'm going to shower and get some sleep. I suggest the two of you get to bed before it gets too late. Anselm, I suggest you start training Bergljot. I want to get started early tomorrow. Don't forget to shield our houses, either," Doya instructed his brother.

"Alright, we will."

"Gilda is waiting inside to help you bandage your wounds," Doya turned to go back inside. "Oh, and Bergljot? Again, I'm sorry," he called back over his shoulder as he disappeared. Anselm and Bergljot followed him inside. Gilda was at the door in a flash.

"Here, Anselm. Let me clean you up. You're probably infected by now," Gilda pulled him into a chair before he could protest. Bergljot sat by him as another question popped into her head.

"Hey, Anselm?"

"Yes? What is it?"

"You remember how you said that when I looked at that picture I fainted because my heritage was pushing its way to the surface?" she asked.

"Yeah? What about it? Ouch!" Gilda had taken a towel that had been dipped in alcohol and began dabbing his wounds.

"Sorry, but this is the best way to clean the cuts and get them to heal without infection. Please continue," Gilda apologized.

"When I studied the game in Technological History, I saw hundreds of screenshots and drawings of the characters. Why didn't they affect me then?" Anselm pondered as Gilda threw his destroyed shirt in the garbage and began bandaging his wounds.

"I'm really not sure," he began slowly. "Maybe because there was no threat at the time, your heritage was remaining dormant. The threat began when Gwandoya's dreams did. He began having the dreams when the scientist stumbled upon the incantation and 'recipe' that revived Ansem. Your heritage must have sensed the threat around the same time and awoken. That's the most logical reason I can come up with."

"Makes sense to me," Bergljot shrugged. "So what did Doya mean when he told you to shield the houses?"  
"There's a protective spell called Aeroga. If I cast it on the doors and windows to this house, we can use it as a hideout. I need to redo the same at ours. The spell will keep out Heartless."

"Speaking of which, do you think our house has been attacked yet?"

"I doubt it. You'd be surprised at how well sound travels out here. We would have heard if there had been a break-in. Besides, I put the spell on our house and cabin this morning before I left. I didn't want anything to happen to you while I was gone," Anselm explained, standing as Gilda handed him another shirt. "I think we should get over there just in case. I need to cast the spell again anyway, before it rubs off."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Anselm was amazed that the house was still standing. Heartless had indeed attacked the house, however Aeroga hadn't worn off, so they hadn't gotten in.

"Okay, Bergljot. Ready for lesson one?" Anselm asked. His wife nodded. "You know how to use a sword? Just do the same thing you would do with a sword. Deep freeze!" He shot ice at a group of Heartless that had snuck up on them.

"Ayah! Hah!" Bergljot yelled as she slashed a Heartless in half. She suddenly felt a sharp pain in her back. "AH!" she screamed shrilly. Anselm shot lightning at the Heartless that had just scratched her.

It was tiring work, but Anselm and Bergljot defeated the Heartless in minutes. Bergljot collapsed into Anselm's arms after her blade had destroyed the last of the Heartless.

"Mwahaha!" A harsh laugh brought the couple out of their daze. "Fools. This world has been connected."

"Anselm! Bergljot! I heard all the noise. What the fu-" he followed Bergljot and Anselm's gazes to the top of the house.

"Tied to the darkness…soon to be completely eclipsed. There is so very much to learn. You understand so little."

"That voice…I know that voice, the bastard…" Bergljot glared at the man standing on top of her house.

"All efforts are meaningless. One who knows nothing can understand nothing…" The figure staring down at them laughed again. He threw his head back, silver hair flowing. He stared back at them with his orange eyes. His pitch-black cloak billowed behind him in the wind. A heart with an 'x' going over it covered the left side of his chest.

"I killed your mother, and I will kill you, too. One of these days, I will destroy you. I guarantee it will be slow and painful," the man looked Bergljot in the eye. Bergljot took the Keyblade in hand and looked back at him.

"You ass-hole! You murdered my mother! This ends now!" Bergljot screamed at him. The man jumped down to them. "Thunder!" Bergljot yelled. She had observed Anselm casting the spell and did just as he had done. Lightning bolts flew at the stranger. The man waved his hand and they bounced back at Bergljot. She collapsed as dozens of volts of electricity coursed through her body. Anselm knelt by her.

"It is futile. As I said before, you understand so little. One who knows nothing can understand nothing. You cannot seal the door to darkness. Your ancestors could not even destroy me. Darkness will conquer all worlds. I guarantee it." The man laughed once again. Gwandoya charged at him with his shield. The intruder reached out his hand again. Blue lights shot out of his fingertips, hitting Doya right in the chest. He flew backwards, hit the ground, flipped backwards a few times, and finally lay motionless on the ground. The man turned to Anselm.

"Do you wish to challenge me? Do I need to prove my power?"

"Get your ass off my property, you son of a bitch. If you leave, I may make your death quick and painless instead of slow and torturing," Anselm glared at the man.

"Very well. Remember, all attempts to stop me are futile. I suggest you quit. Do not deny your fate."

The man grabbed his cloak and in swish of the cloak was gone. Doya had regained consciousness and stared with his brother and sister-in-law at where the man had vanished.

"Was that…_him_?" Bergljot whispered shakily.

"Yes," Doya muttered. He was almost speechless. Anselm swallowed hard before finishing.

"That was him. The infamous, dangerous, powerful, and intelligent leader and creator of the Heartless. That was Ansem."

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Whoa, freaky ending! How many people can say CLIFFHANGER? Okay, same deal as last time. 3 positive reviews equals *trumpet fanfare* UPDATES! YEA! I'm obviously hyper. No reviews or negative reviews will equal *slow death march* Buh-bye Final Destiny. The next chapter will focus on sealing Drummond and finding the Gummi ship. SEND IN THOSE REVIEWS PEOPLE! I ain't writing this for my own sick amusement. Oh, and I'm typing up character pages to go with the story, so if anybody wants some background info on any characters (birth dates, heights, etc) then ask me in the review and I'll send what you want to know. Note: the info will not include the names of the real people the fictional characters are based on. Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Kingdom Hearts, the characters from the actual game, or the characters from any other game. I only own the ancestors of these characters and the name-variety combinations of each world.


	4. Sealing Drummond

****

Chapter III

Sealing Drummond

"I don't believe that just happened," Bergljot was shaking. The trio had gone into Anselm and Bergljot's house and were drinking some hot tea. "That was really him? If it was, we could have ended this thing a few minutes ago, couldn't we?"

"Not quite. None of us are strong enough to take him on yet. You saw what he did to me and how he ricocheted Thundaga," Doya told her, taking a long drink of tea.

"Speaking of which, I'll teach you another spell. Raise the Keyblade straight up like this, say either 'Heal' or 'This should help' and say the name of the one you want to heal. The spell is called Curaga. Heal Bergljot," Anselm directed the staff at his wife and healed her.

"Wow, I feel better already. Thanks," Bergljot gave her body a quick look over to make sure she was completely healed. "Let me try. This should help, Doya." Sure enough, all of Gwandoya's wounds instantly disappeared.

"Thank you. You know, if Ansem knows where you live, you may want to move to my house," Doya pointed out.

"It wouldn't matter," Anselm shook his head. "He knows we're brothers and he most likely knows that Bergljot and I are married. It doesn't really make a difference where we go. Ansem will find us and if he sneak attacks us, we're all done for."

The three of them sat in silence. Anselm was trying to work out a plan in his mind. Gwandoya was thinking about what would happen to his family if something went wrong. Bergljot…well, she really didn't know what to think. After a long while of sitting and shooting quick glances at each other, Bergljot slammed her hands on the table and stormed out of the house.

"Bergljot? Babe, come back!" Anselm called after her.

"Just let her go," Gwandoya said as he poured himself some more tea.

"What? With the Heartless and Ansem and who _knows_ what else out there? Are you nuts?" Anselm was about to strike his brother.

"She doesn't know what to do or what to make of all of this," Gwandoya said calmly. He shrugged. "She's confused. Just let her go. She'll come back. I guarantee it. If she doesn't, I suggest you get a new wife and we find another person capable of handling the Keyblade."

"There is no one else, Gwandoya. Read my lips: _there is no other wielder_. She is our only hope and I'm going to find her," Anselm glared at his brother and went after his bride. Gwandoya only watched him and sipped his tea slowly.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Bergljot walked swiftly through the woods, the Keyblade clutched in her hands. Her eyes moved continuously, keeping a close watch for Heartless and Ansem. She was startled multiple times, but it was always a deer or squirrel. She had long since walked off the path and eventually came to the lake. She climbed onto the same rock where Anselm had proposed to her. The young woman stood on the fateful stone and gazed over the lake. Her eyes were tear-filled and she put a hand in her pocket. Feeling something, she pulled it out. It was the necklace that her mother had been holding when Bergljot had found her charred body. Rage surged through her body and she jammed the Keyblade into a fissure in the boulder. She stood straight and glared at the sunset.

"This is all my fault. If I hadn't married him, they wouldn't be in danger. Ansem wouldn't be after my godchildren. I guess I'll just have to save Ansem some trouble…" Bergljot gazed back at where she knew the house was. "I probably won't be missed for very long anyway…" As she turned to the lake, movement caught her eye. She stiffened, as it seemed customary to do when Heartless were nearby, and gazed around slowly.

"Bergljot! Where are you?" Anselm called. Bergljot could hear him getting closer. The commotion caused the hiding Heartless to become spooked and it leapt out of the woods. The Heartless was about her height, but it had bat-like wings, long red claws and what looked like a pilot's helmet and goggles on its head. It wore boots and a jumpsuit the same color as its skin, too. It saw her and charged at her. Anselm leapt out of the woods at that moment. Bergljot struggled unsuccessfully to get the Keyblade unstuck. Anselm yelled and drew his staff. The Heartless was inches from Bergljot and she was ready to let the Heartless take her when fire rained down on it with Anselm's cry of "FIRE!"

When the Heartless was struck, it didn't disappear right away. Instead, it was propelled forward and didn't dissolve until it hit Bergljot. The force behind it was so strong that she lost her footing and began to fall backwards into the lake. Anselm scrambled onto the boulder and tried to grab her hand, but it was too late. She gazed at her husbands face for the last time and disappeared under the water.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

__

"So Bergljot, your mom said your birthday is tomorrow."

"Yes, as a matter of fact it is, sir."

"Don't bother with the 'sirs' while you're here. How about I take you out to dinner tomorrow night to celebrate? Just us."

"Okay, I guess. I just wish my mother didn't need to go out of town."

"It's alright. We'll throw our own little celebration."

"Yeah…"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Hey. Hey, you with the face. You okay?"

"Wha…?" Bergljot slowly opened her eyes. A muscular young woman was standing over her. "Where am I?"

"You're in my father's garage."

Bergljot gazed around her. The place smelled strongly of gasoline and engine oil. Metal parts and tools were strewn on the floor while even more hung on the walls. She slowly sat up and was sickened to see that an oil stained tarp covered her while she lie on the detached hood of a car. The stranger noticed Bergljot's disgust.

"I know it's no five star hotel, but you were half drowned. This was the only place I could bring you."

"Gee, thanks loads. So, your father runs this…err…charming garage?" Bergljot carefully stood and picked up a pipe that she had just stepped on.

"Yeah. I come out and help him every day. It used to just be after school, but I've started helping every day since I graduated high school."

Bergljot looked at her savior. She had short blonde hair tied back in a small ponytail and her head was covered with a bandana. She was wearing blue overalls with tears in both knees and spots where oil and gas had spilled. She also adorned a white grease-stained halter top and brown army boots that looked as though they had been cleaned in engine oil.

"Hey, I don't even know your name."

"The name's Bergljot," Bergljot said, extending her hand.

"Alpha," she replied, taking her hand and shaking it hard. "Say, you aren't the lead singer of 'Black Phoenix' are you?"

"I was," Bergljot told her, gazing outside and praying that she wouldn't be begged for an autograph.

"That is so COOL! I just saved a superstars life!" Alpha was jumping up and down with joy. "I love your music. Why did you guys stop touring?"

"To be honest, arguments were breaking out among us and it was getting a little old. There's an old saying that I've always followed. If you're going to quit, quit while you're on top, not before and not after."

"Hey, that's pretty good. I'll have to remember that. Did you come up with it yourself?"

"Actually, my father told it to me when I was a little girl. I had been taking guitar lessons for about two months and I didn't even know how to play one song. I begged my parents to let me quit, but they wouldn't let me. My father told me that saying whenever I refused to practice. Then he was killed in a car accident with a drunk driver when I was thirteen."

"Oh, my god. I'm so sorry. If it makes you feel any better, my mother died just after she gave birth to me. At least you got to know both your parents a little. My dad raised me like a guy, so now he's trying to undo it all so I can find a husband who won't feel inferior to me," Alpha laughed. Bergljot couldn't help but chuckle. They heard a loud bang outside. "Sounds like my father just got here. Daddy, I'm in here!"

"Hey, girl! Did you find any scrap in the lake?" An old man barely more muscular than Alpha walked in and gave his daughter a small pat on the back. He wore a muscle shirt and blue jeans, neither of which was much cleaner than his daughter's clothes.

"Yeah, I left it on your desk."  
"Thanks, kiddo. Who's this?" He gazed at Bergljot.

"Dad, This is Bergljot. She was half drowned in the lake, so I pulled her out and brought her here."

"How do you do Bergljot? The name's Ace."

"Hello sir," Bergljot shook his hand. A light bulb clicked on in her mind. "You're Ace? You bought my husband's Gummi Ship almost two decades ago!"

"You mean _The Isra_? Yeah I got it. You must be Gwandoya's wife," Ace nodded and gave her a look over.

"Actually, I've been married to Anselm about two months now. Oh, shit. He probably thinks I'm dead. With all these problems I wish I were."

"Problems? What kinds of problems?" Alpha asked.

"Never mind. Their not your problems," Bergljot said quickly. "Would it be possible to buy back _The Isra_?"

"Well, since you seem to be a smart woman and the ship will be going back to the family I got it from, I can sell it to you for 15000 munny. It's the price I paid for it plus the cost of the work I did on it while I had it," Ace told her.

"Let me see the ship first. If it's not in operating condition, I'm not paying."

"Alpha, bring it around."

"Yes sir," Alpha said, rushing out back to retrieve it. Five minutes later, Bergljot was handing over 15000 munny coins to Ace.

"Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me," Bergljot said.

"What are those?" Alpha pointed to the top of the garage. The three of them looked up and saw several Heartless that had some sort of blue, red, and silver armor on.

"Very bad news," Bergljot rushed to get into the Gummi Ship.

"Wait! You were holding this when I found you," Alpha shoved the necklace into Bergljot's hands.

"Thanks, Alpha. Listen, you two have to leave. Those things will kill you if you don't. Trust me. You know the lake? There are two houses near it. Head for those houses. The men there will take you in. I'll try to distract those things," Bergljot instructed quickly. She closed the door and was shocked at how complex the controls were.

"Well, here goes something," Bergljot muttered, grabbing hold of a lever right in front of her. Ace and Alpha were nowhere in sight. Bergljot pulled down on the lever and the ship began trembling. It slowly rose off the ground. The Heartless had begun to leap at the ship. Bergljot was barely a foot off the ground when she grabbed hold of the joystick that (she assumed) controlled the steering. She pulled back on it sharply and was thrown against the seat as the nose turned towards the sky and rose up. She pushed it gently forward after it rose about twenty miles into the air. More of the flying Heartless flew in front of her.

"Lasers, lasers, where are the lasers?" She pushed the small blue button on the top of the joystick and a narrow laser beam shot at the group. Several Heartless dissolved. "Woo-Hoo! YEAH!" She slammed her hand down on a large green button next to the joystick and began shooting forward as small black Gummi Ships, which she assumed carried Heartless, rose and chased after her.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Gwandoya was going to have one bad-ass headache when he woke up the next morning. Anselm had returned home, tears streaming down his face after he watched his wife perish. He had pulled Keyblade from the stone, but he didn't know what to do with it. Gwandoya had asked him what was wrong and when Anselm explained, Gwandoya had told him that it was probably for the best. Now they had no worries about being able to travel to worlds. Rage surged through Anselm at those words and he punched his brother. He kept pushing and punching him until Gwandoya had a black eye and was about to pass out. Anselm had glared at Gwandoya and told him that if he made any comment about Bergljot like that again, he would kill Gwandoya. After that, Anselm had gone upstairs and lie in bed, holding the picture of him and Bergljot on the first day they slept together. His brother went home. Night had fallen long before, and Anselm cried himself to sleep. He woke up the next morning and upon seeing the picture of her, began crying uncontrollably.

"Why didn't you run? Why did you get the Keyblade stuck?" Anselm sobbed. "Why did you have to die?" He lie there for most of the morning, sobbing and wishing he had gone after her in the first place instead of staying and listening to his brother. As he lie, he heard a banging on the front door. "IT'S OPEN!" he called, his voice cracking. Gwandoya burst into the room thirty seconds later.

"Anselm, come outside. There are a couple of people you should talk to."

"Why? It can't be anything good," Anselm replied, unwillingly climbing out of bed. The two of them went outside where Ace and Alpha were waiting.

"Anselm, how are you? I haven't seen you since you first moved here," Ace patted him on the back.

"Ace?"

"None other. Remember me?" Alpha walked up to him.

"Yeah, I remember you. By the way, we kind of have a situation here. Would it be possible to buy _The Isra_ from you?" Something clicked in Anselm's mind. "Wait a minute, what are you two doing here in the first place?"  
"I was looking for scrap in the lake yesterday and I found your wife in it," Alpha said calmly.

"Yeah, what about her?" Anselm said angrily. He could feel tears swelling at the thought of Bergljot and he wasn't about to break down in front of people he barely knew.

"Well, she was half-drowned, so I took her back to the garage. She woke up this morning."

"Yeah sure she did. You weren't anywhere near there when she went under. She would have drowned by the time you found her," Anselm was getting angry.

"She's telling the truth," Ace insisted. "I sold the Gummi Ship to her because she said she was your wife and I remembered you guys. After the sale, some creatures in armor came. Your wife took the ship and told us to come here and you two would help us. I don't know where she went," Ace sighed.

"Soldier Heartless," Gwandoya looked at Anselm. "This is getting serious. Assuming Bergljot is alive, we need to find her to seal the world."

"Heartless? You mean those thing we saw were what chased our oldest ancestor out of Hallow Bastion?" Alpha gaped at them.

"Was your ancestor a Gummi expert like your father?" Anselm asked.

"Supposedly he was," Alpha nodded excitedly.

"Cid, right?"

"Who else?"

"Uh, guys, you might want to cut the genealogy lesson short," Gwandoya said as he and Ace stared at the sky. He pointed to the sun. Shielding their eyes, Anselm and Alpha followed their gazes and were shocked to see a large, green and blue Gummi Ship being chased through the sky by dozens of smaller black ships. The black ships shot lasers at the large one as it dodged and dove.

"Gwandoya, let's go," Anselm drew the staff and climbed to the top of the house. Gwandoya followed suit. Anselm waited for what seemed like hours before a Heartless ship finally came close enough to jump on.

"Ace, Alpha! Get inside! Don't worry, it's protected!" Gwandoya called as he, too, leapt onto a ship. He slammed the shield roughly into an engine. The ship spewed black smoke and sparks and began to fall from the sky. Another ship saw this and flew towards Gwandoya. The ship fired a laser before he could jump away.

"AH!" Gwandoya screamed as the laser sliced his arm. He began to fall, blood pouring from between his fingers where he grasped the wound.

"Heal, Gwandoya! Wind, Gwandoya!" Anselm shot two spells in a row at his brother. His cut vanished and a miniature whirlwind surrounded him, blocking the attacks from harming him. Gwandoya landed on another ship and gazed at his brother. Anselm had a whirlwind, too.

"Thanks, bro. Watch your back!" Gwandoya called. Anselm turned just in time to cast Firaga on a ship that snuck up behind him.

"Thanks!"

Anselm cast Thundaga on the ship he was riding and jumped onto another one as it blew up. Gwandoya busted an engine on the ship and headed for another ship.

"You doing okay baby bro?" Gwandoya called as he and Anselm landed on the same ship a few minutes later.

"Hey, I'm married now. I'm not a baby anymore," he called back. "This one is the last. Bit larger, too. Split it?" Anselm asked. Before his brother could answer, cannons that had been concealed on the back shot at them. While Aeroga prevented damage, the force knocked the siblings to the ground. Anselm renewed both of the whirlwinds as they hurtled towards the earth. They both landed hard. Anselm recovered quickly, but Gwandoya lie motionless, his arm lying at an unpleasant angle underneath him. Anselm stood and took careful aim at the ship. To his horror, the ship was taking care to stay on the far side of _The Isra_, making it impossible to hit the Heartless ship without hitting his own. Anselm waved at his ship and muttered an apology to it.

"Bergljot, if that's you in there, I'm so sorry for this. STOP!" He screamed. The ship was surrounded by numerals and froze. The Heartless ship flew right past. Anselm took aim. "FORCE!" The ship was pinned to the ground by the orb. Before it could come up again, he called "Thunder!" and the ship exploded in black smoke. Anselm turned to his ship. Stopaga had worn off and the ship was hurtling towards the ground. "BERGLJOT!" Anselm ran as fast as he could. "WIND _THE ISRA_!" The whirlwind surrounded the ship and it landed without major damage. He approached it slowly.

The door opened and Bergljot stepped out. She was extremely dizzy and injured. Bergljot spotted Anselm a yard away.

"Anselm…" she whispered slowly. She fell from the top of the small steps installed under the door. Anselm caught her and carefully carried her into the house. He went back outside a moment later to bring in his brother.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

__

"Hey, Bergljot. Wake up!"

Bergljot moans and slowly opens her eyes. She looks into Anselm's face.

"Anselm?"

"Happy fourteenth birthday, Bergljot."

Anselm wraps an arm around her as he lies next to Bergljot in bed.

"Thank you."

"So, you want some breakfast?"

"Sounds great, thanks."

Bergljot sits up. Anselm leaves for a few moments and returns carrying a tray.

"Eggs, sausage and toast with a glass of milk."

"Thanks, I'm starved."  
"Well, you didn't eat much dinner last night."

"I wasn't very hungry."

Bergljot quickly chows down on the meal.

"Go get dressed. Decide what you want to do and we'll do it. Today's your day."

"Cool."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Bergljot? Bergljot, please wake up. Come on babe, wake up. Please don't be dead," Anselm pleaded. He clutched her hand and gently stroked her face. Alpha stood with her hands folded, gazing upon the two of them and praying that her rescue of Bergljot had not been in vain. Doya and Ace were in the kitchen pouring drinks for the group.

"Anselm?" Alpha whispered. "Is she going to be okay?"

"You know what? I really don't know," Anselm sighed. "She's hurt badly. The crash severely damaged her. Curaga didn't heal her completely. The only thing we can do is wait and try to find the Keyhole ourselves."

"I really hope she's okay," Alpha moaned as she crouched by him. "If I need to, I'll take up the Keyblade."

"No," Anselm shook his head. "You wouldn't be able to handle it. Bergljot is the only one who can wield it other than our son. When and if we have one, that is. If she dies, we'll never have a son and all worlds are doomed. To be honest, I don't think she'll live. Her wounds are too deep. They won't heal," Anselm laid his head on her shoulder as Ace called his daughter into the kitchen.

"You don't believe in faith much, do you?"

Anselm sat up to find Bergljot's eyes half-opened and her mouth curled into a half-smile.

"Bergljot, thank God…" Tears streamed down Anselm's face as he kissed and hugged his wife. They jumped at the sound of glass smashing on the floor.

"Daddy! Gwandoya! Get your asses in here now!" Ace screamed.

"What's wrong?" Ace ran to her and stopped when he saw Bergljot. "Oh…"

"Is it Hear-WOAH!" Gwandoya ran into the living room so fast that he didn't see the spilled liquid on the floor and as a result slipped and fell flat on his face. "I'm okay, if anyone's worried about me! I just fell on my face, that's all!" He called when no one seemed to acknowledge his fall.

"I'm glad your okay. I think it's my fault nobody asked about you."  
"Bergljot?" Gwandoya lifted his head to find Bergljot kneeling by him and smiling.

"Duh. You guys didn't honestly think I would just kick the bucket without a fight, did you? There's no way that I'm letting you get all the credit for killing Ansem, either," Bergljot grinned. Gwandoya stood and tried to dry off his shirt. "So, where's this Keyhole?"

"We have to find it. Once we do, get ready. Ansem isn't going to let us seal the world without a fight," Anselm explained. "There will probably be a stronger Heartless there."

"Shall we start searching?"

"First, Anselm should cast Aeroga on all our houses. Then we can begin searching," Doya suggested.

"Fine, Aeroga my house. Aeroga Gwandoya's house. Aeroga Ace's House," Anselm raised his staff.

"Why our house?" Ace asked.

"I don't know about you, pops, but I don't want my heart taken," Alpha told him.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Take that!" Bergljot yelled. The group had no sooner taken one step out of the house when they where overtaken by Heartless. It had taken mere minutes to destroy them all.

"You know, I think you're really getting the hang of this," Gwandoya pointed out.

"Thanks," Bergljot smiled at him. Her expression immediately became serious. "I think we should leave. More are coming. I can feel it."

"Ditto," Anselm agreed. "Come on, let's investigate the lake."

The small band walked carefully through the forest. Surprisingly, no Heartless tried to bar their path save one, who immediately began to run in the opposite direction. Anselm managed to cast Firaga before it got to its destination. They were at the lake within an hour.

"Whoa…" Alpha said.

"Holy…" Ace muttered at the same time. The lake was glowing strangely. It was as though someone had turned on a giant color-changing light bulb under the water. First there was a blue fog over it, then green, and then violet on top of that. As the fog kept changing, Bergljot gazed at the lake. A slight glimmer caught her eye. Looking closer, Bergljot could make out the faint outline of a keyhole on a stone across the lake, clouded by the thick fog.

"Hey, guys! I found it!" she called. Her fellow travelers rushed over to her.

"Where?" Anselm asked, gazing around.

"There, in that stone."

"Yep, that's the keyhole," Doya confirmed, squinting to make it out. "Let's go."

"Ace, Alpha, I think you should stay here. This is dangerous," Bergljot requested as she and her guardians prepared to climb into the water.

"No problem there," Alpha muttered. Bergljot nodded and turned to leave for the keyhole.

"I'll go first," she decided and jumped feet first into the lake. She closed her eyes and held her breath, preparing to drop under the water, but the cold and wet did not come. She slowly opened her eyes and was amazed to find that the fog held her up. Bergljot jumped and screamed as she felt something on her shoulder. She was about to whack it with the Keyblade, but it was met by a staff.

"Easy, easy! It's just me. Shit," Anselm wiped his brow. "We're going to have to be more alert than ever. I can't even here my own footsteps."

"Draw your weapons. There's bound to be a Heartless or two around," Gwandoya commanded as he approached them. No sooner were the words out of his mouth when a large shape came out of the cloud.

"What kind is it?" Bergljot asked. The creature was about twice her height, thrice her width, had claws a foot long, three horns on its head, fangs three inches thick and six inches long, glowing eyes that changed color with the fog, and was a deep grey color. A large crossed-out heart, the symbol of the Heartless, was splayed across its back.

"A teivel," Gwandoya whispered. "One of the most dangerous ones."

"GROAH!" the teivel screamed. He got down on all fours, making the ground tremble and the trio fall over. The next thing Bergljot, Anselm, and Gwandoya knew, the monster was running towards them. And it was not going to stop.

"What do we do?" Bergljot yelled as she picked up the Keyblade.

"Try jumping onto its back while we distract it. Wait for it to fall backwards and then climb up," Anselm said. "The horns are highly sensitive and are excellent conductors. Try to hit them as quickly and as hard as you can."

The teivel continued to charge. Anselm and Gwandoya stood their ground as Bergljot tiptoed swiftly behind it.

"NOW! THUNDAGA!" Anselm screamed. Thousands of volts of electricity shot from the sky towards one of the horns. The monster screamed in agony and fell over, but at the same time another scream was faintly heard under it.

"AHHH! Anselm!"

"Bergljot?" Anselm called. The fog was conductive and the heat had carried to his wife. She managed to climb up the monsters back, wincing the whole way.

"Take this!" she cried, running at the horn and slashing at it.

"SKREEE!" The teivel began bucking back and forth, trying to get her off. Bergljot gripped the horns tightly. As she did, Anselm shot a jet of water at it.

"Anselm! Spray the teivel, not me!"

"Man, I can not get a break today! Hey wait… where'd Gwandoya go?" Anselm gazed around nervously. His brother had disappeared.

"Never mind him, we've got to get rid of this thing!" Bergljot called as she took another chunk out of the horn. The blow was so powerful, the horn broke off. "Anselm, go for the other horns!" She called, attempting to keep her balance as she ran to another. Anselm and Bergljot quickly knocked another horn off.

"HARGH!" the teivel cried angrily. Instead of bucking, it decided to scratch at its head and roll over. Bergljot lost her grip and fell with the monster. Anselm tried to catch her, but she was falling too fast and she knocked him over. The monster righted itself before they could get up and held them down with its giant paws. As it lowered its head to bite off theirs, a disc came flying out of nowhere and seemingly rushed past the remaining horn. The monster froze and as Bergljot and Anselm looked, the horn slid off in a perfectly smooth and straight cut. Gwandoya leaped down to help them up and finish the monster, which was now on its back and howling in pain.

"Bergljot, go for it!" he called as his shield flew back to him. Bergljot was already charging the monster. The brothers quickly followed, but she was already on the creature's stomach. The thing thrashed roughly at her, missing her by a few short inches. Bergljot jabbed the Keyblade down as hard as she could and stabbed the beast. With a terrible scream, its body began trembling so hard that Bergljot fell off. As the teivel continued to shake, Bergljot jumped back up and took one last slash at the monster. It fell silent.

"We did it! Now to seal the keyhole," Bergljot turned to her fellows. They were watching the creature. She turned to look, too. "Wow…"

The monster was changing. Instead of being solid, the body looked as though it was made of plasma. The colors grew a little duller. Slowly, the monster dissolved and the particles rose into the air. Among them, a ruby heart rose as well. The objects reached the sky and disappeared. As they did, a small stone dropped from where the heart had vanished. Bergljot picked it up and examined it.

"A summon stone…" Doya whispered. "There are thirteen monsters in all that can help us fight. They were so powerful, Sora trapped them in a set of gems. Only one whose heart is pure may summon their power."  
"How do I summon?" Bergljot asked.

"All you do is take the stone when you need it and say the name of the summon. It should be carved on the side. The monster will come and assist you when you need help. You do not need to direct it at all times. The keyhole guardians, like the teivel, will probably have them."

"Guys, can we talk about this later? I really think we should close the keyhole before we have an even worse Heartless to deal with," Anselm pointed at the fading keyhole. "Once the guardian is defeated, we won't have much time before the keyhole disappears. Once it disappears, it will never reappear, and the world will surely fall."  
"Right. Let's go," Bergljot rushed over to it.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Moments later, the group was huddled around the hole, unsure of what to do. Bergljot had put the Keyblade away so she could run easier.

"Well, what now?" she asked, drawing the Keyblade. No sooner were the words out of her mouth than the Keyblade began vibrating, almost as if it wanted loose of her grasp. Bergljot tried to drop it, but found that she could not. Anselm and Doya backed away, and as they did, both of Bergljot's hands were gripping the blade and holding it above her head. She quickly brought the Keyblade down in front of the hole and a thin, blue, key-shaped laser shot out of the end and went into the keyhole. The group heard a click and the laser disappeared. The keyhole stopped glowing and became a faint outline on the boulder. As it faded, something gold and white shot out and landed with a clunk at Bergljot's feet.

"Anselm! Doya! Come here, quick!" she cried, looking down at the object.

"My god…" Anselm trailed off. "The King's blade…"

Gwandoya picked up the golden key with the gold chain and white handle and said to Bergljot, "Well, looks like you need to learn to fight with two Keyblades now."

"I didn't know there were two blades," she whispered.

"Humph," Doya smirked. "Guess we should have explained that while Sora wielded the silver blade, King Mickey wielded a gold one. The silver has the power to lock or open a door from the outside, but this one has the power to open or lock a door from the inside. The king used it to seal Kingdom Hearts."

"Oh," Bergljot was still a little confused. Gwandoya turned from her and held the gold blade to his side at shoulder height. It disappeared in a glitter and the next thing she knew, Bergljot was weighted down on both sides by the keys.

"You're stronger than I thought you were," Doya said as he began walking back. "The Heartless will want your heart even more. I will do all I can to protect you. But be prepared. There will come a day you will be on your own. That day is closer than you think. I guarantee it."

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Okay, so how does everyone like it so far? Even though I have received 0 reviews so far, I am updating just in case some people are reading this but are being mean and not sending reviews. Don't feel bad, I don't like to send them either. Anyway, I do want some feedback. If this chapter does not seem as good as the others, it is because I had only really planned out the very beginning (in other words, chapter 1 and the prologue), two or three worlds, two events: one that will take place in the middle of the game and one in the middle of probably the first fourth, and the ending.

Sneak Peek: Gummi Ship adventures, more Heartless, and GUADO! Special guest villain: SEYMOUR-GUADO! For all you Seymour lovers out there! *cough* Soul Vagabond *cough* J 


	5. The Gummi Ship

****

Chapter IV

The Gummi Ship

After the defeat of the teivel, the group returned to Gwandoya's house. Ace and Alpha had left for home during the battle. Gilda was waiting on the deck nervously. Dusk had long ago fallen, and the children had fallen asleep waiting for their father. As Gwandoya walked out of the woods, she called out to him.

"Oh, Gwandoya," she called as she ran to him. "Thank god you're okay. I was so worried. What's wrong, sweetie?"

"Nothing. I'm going to wash up and go to bed," He said stiffly and walked into the house. Gilda had wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders, but he pushed her away. Bergljot and Anselm stared in shock. Doya had always been so calm and sweet around his wife, but now he acted as though she was as horrid as a Heartless.

"I don't know… what to do anymore. He's been so distant lately, but he won't talk to me about it. He's never done this before, but now that the Heartless have come…" Gilda trailed off as tears welled in her eyes. She turned to Bergljot and Anselm. "Please, stay here the night. If my husband's attitude is any indication, you will be leaving early tomorrow."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

__

Bergljot and Anselm are sitting at a booth in a restaurant on her birthday.

"Anselm, there's something I've… been wanting to discuss with you."  
"Yes? What is it? You know you can tell me anything."

"Well, um… ever since we met… I don't know if you noticed, but I was a little shy around you."

"Yeah, I remember."

"I figured out why a few months ago. I… I love you."

"What?"

"I know it sounds weird, but I do. You're the sweetest, gentlest man I know, and you look fantastic. This isn't one of those little 'schoolgirl crushes,' either. I've found myself daydreaming about you and I in… err… that is to say…"

"Sexual situations?"

Bergljot blushes.

"Yeah…"

"Okay. Thank you for being open to me like that. You do realize that we can never make love together. I mean, you're a minor and I'm an adult."

"I know."

"But, Bergljot?"

"Yes?"

"I love you, too."

"Look, you don't have to lie to me. I know there's no way someone like you can love someone like me. I'm not hurt."

Anselm leans in and kisses Bergljot passionately on the lips.

"If I didn't love you, would I have kissed you like that?"

"I'll tell you when I can feel my lips again."

"There is one way around the law."

"And that would be…?"

"Well, if you don't get pregnant and no one catches us, we could get away with it. So, if you want, we could do it tonight. Think of it as a birthday gift."

"Anselm, I… hmm. I'll think about it."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Daddy, stay here with me! Don't leave us!" Zita cried, refusing to let go of her father's waist.

"No, Zita. If I don't leave, everyone will die. Uncle Anselm is going to put a powerful spell on this house that will keep Heartless out of this area. I'll be back in a few weeks to see you. As soon as Anselm and Bergljot finish loading, I'll be leaving," Gwandoya said to his child. This did not seem to help. Zita began crying harder.

"Daddy, no! You're going to get hurt! I don't want you to die!"

"Look, I-"  
"Oh, come on Doya. She's only eight. The Gummi Ship is loaded, there are no clouds, and the Heartless are ransacking our house as we speak looking for us. If we don't leave now, we may not get another chance," Bergljot said. She and her husband had gone to their house and grabbed as many clothes as possible, plus their bed, water, food, and anything important that Gilda could fit in her home. There was no way, they figured, that they would reach any worlds in one day. It had taken nearly twenty-four hours for Gwandoya and Anselm's family to move from the closest world, Milburga, and they had left at midnight. The group decided that they would switch off piloting the ship. Bergljot had been sure to grab her alarm clock so they knew when to switch. As they left the house, Aeroga had worn off. Anselm did not renew the spell. Gilda had insisted on them staying at her house when they were around, and they were going to take her up on the offer. No sooner had the spell come off and Anselm and Bergljot began walking away when a neo Heartless began looking for a way in. Instead of fighting, the duo had hurried back to load the ship and the two of them were now standing in the doorway waiting for Gwandoya to board.

"Zita, I promise we'll come back. All of us," Anselm said comfortingly, looking from Bergljot to his brother. "But you must understand that we are doing this to keep you, your brother and mother safe. If we don't leave, all of you will die. We are doing this to get the monsters away from you." As he said this, he cast a powerful blocking charm on the house that would never wear off unless the caster told it to.

"I love you, Zita. I'll be back. I promise," Gwandoya whispered, wrapping his daughter into a hug. He quickly gave his baby boy a kiss and hugged Gilda reassuringly. "If you need anything, you know where Ace and Alpha are, right?"

"Yeah, I know," Gilda sighed. "You take care of yourselves, you hear?" She said as she hugged and kissed her husband.

"This must be really tough for him," Bergljot whispered to Anselm as they watched.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, he's the one who has to leave a spouse and two kids. We haven't even tried to start a family yet. Don't get me wrong, I'm going to miss them, too, but I didn't do anything to put those kids on this planet. I'm not the one who married Gilda either, thank god."

"I was about to ask if there was something you didn't tell me before the wedding," Anselm chuckled.

"I'm glad we're going together," Bergljot muttered, laying her hands on her husband's shoulders.

Gwandoya approached them, walked onto the ship and sat in the pilot's seat. Bergljot sat in one of the five seats behind him. After closing the hatch, Anselm joined her.

"Are the two of you strapped in? Make sure both of the straps click and don't undo them until we're completely out of the atmosphere," Gwandoya instructed as he buckled himself in. "Ready?" he asked shakily.

"As I'll ever be," Anselm said.

"But not willing," Bergljot replied apprehensively.

"Then here we go."

The ship began shaking violently as Gwandoya started the engines. The ship rose loudly into the air and out of sight. Gilda took her children inside and put away all of the things that had been brought to her. All day, she thought about the dangers her husband was to face. She later gazed at their wedding picture and thought to herself _He's strong. He'll be safe. I just wish he could have left a little of that strength for me and his children…_

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"I never realized how beautiful space was," Bergljot whispered in awe as she walked through _The Isra_ and gazed out of the windows.

"I never realized how much work I would have to do on this trip," Anselm replied as he made the bed for later that night. They had been traveling for an hour and had not met any Heartless. Gwandoya had managed to avoid their radar so far, but there was no telling when he would fail. There was an alarm that would sound in the event of an attack and Bergljot and Anselm were to head for the deck where it was safest during an assault. In the meantime, Anselm had seven more hours until he had to take over the controls and Bergljot had fifteen. Until it was their turn to pilot, they were free to roam the ship at will.

Anselm finished the bed and joined his wife as she walked onto the deck.

"So, Doya, where are we headed? Anselm, stop it," Bergljot giggled as Anselm had been playing with her hair and kissing her neck while she asked Gwandoya the question.

"Hold on, let me enter the coordinates and set up the autopilot so I can show you," he answered and began to type some information into the computer.

"Wait, if this thing has autopilot, why do we have to switch off every eight hours?" Anselm asked. He laughed as Bergljot began wrapping her arms around him from behind and kissed his neck. "Okay, now _you_ had better stop it."

"The autopilot only works for one hour at a time and takes at least a day to boot up again. Dad blew it out when we moved and Ace was never able to find a replacement. Come with me, I'll show you where we're going."

Gwandoya led his brother and sister-in-law to a seemingly plain wall near the back of the ship.

"Ace added this to the ship after dad sold it to him," Gwandoya explained as he put his face close to the wall a miniscule laser shot at his eyes. An electronic voice sounded through the ship.

"Name: Gwandoya Hammond. Species: Human. Sex: Male," the voice paused to process the data. "Access: Granted."

The wall slid back to reveal a large room with black walls, a black floor and a black ceiling. It was almost impossible to tell if there even were floors or ceilings. Gwandoya walked into the room and signaled for Bergljot and Anselm to follow. They walked to the middle of the void and a pedestal with a sphere perched on the top was suddenly visible.

"Ace, Alpha and I are the only ones with access to this room. We are the only ones who know how to get in and what part of the wall the laser comes out of. If the ship is boarded by Heartless, we are to come in here. The room is partially soundproof, so we can hear what goes on outside, but anyone outside cannot hear us. There are no windows, either," Gwandoya explained. He held the sphere in both hands and said, "Show us the secrets of the universe."

"Awesome…" Bergljot and Anselm whispered.

The room was suddenly filled with silver spots that glittered and were all different sizes, just as the stars in the night sky. Gwandoya carefully replaced the fragile sphere.

"It's a star map. It shows all of the planets, stars, suns, moons, asteroids, comets, meteors, and even black holes in the universe. The planets we have visited are in red, but the others are silver. Any worlds that the Heartless have taken over are green and become so small you can hardly see it," he explained, watching his fellows gaze around in awe. "See here? This is Drummond. Watch."

Gwandoya gently plucked the speck from the group and placed it in the sphere. The sphere became the world. All of the houses, buildings, and lights were on the globe.

"Any time we want to see what a world is like or its geography, simply take the planet and place it on the sphere. This only works with planets."

"So, where's Milburga?" Anselm asked excitedly. His brother hesitated and removed the Drummond dot from the sphere. The tiny planet returned to its spot in the miniature universe. Gwandoya took a speck that was barely there from nearby. He placed it carefully in the sphere.

"MWAHAHA! GRAOH!"

"AH!" Bergljot buried her head into her husband's shoulder. Anselm just stood there, tears in his eyes.

"How…" he trailed off.

The sphere, instead of becoming a globe, it remained black. Two antennae shot out of it and glowing yellow eyes formed on the world. The Heartless' head attempted to bite Bergljot, but as it had no neck it was unsuccessful. Gwandoya, seeing how much it bothered them, removed the planet.

"I'm sorry, Anselm. I should have told you. Our world was overrun months ago," Gwandoya whispered. "Remember the morning after you two became engaged, Anselm?" he asked looking up at him.

"Yeah?"

"Well, I left out part of the dream. Ansem was revived in Milburga. That was the first world he destroyed."

"I… I have to leave. I'm going to take over for your eight hours if you don't mind."

"Go ahead, little brother."

Anselm left the room 

"So, where are we headed?" Bergljot asked quietly as her husband exited the room.

"Here," Gwandoya pointed to a small, silver spot. He pulled it and put it in the sphere. The sphere shrank to become a scale model and Bergljot was surprised to see that what appeared to be a large tree was the main landmark on the world. The entire world seemed to be made of bark, grass, and leaves. There was a cavern, but what was in it was unknown.

"I did a scan on the inhabitants and climate. The world is called Ogden. The people there are a race called Guado. They are taller than humans, have stiffer hair, longer arms, and longer hands. They practice the art of summoning. They have many monsters that they can control, however there are only four that Sora was able to subdue. One is still on the planet. As for the climate, it's pretty mild. Think of an infinitive springtime."

"Are there any humans at all?" Bergljot's curiosity was beginning to get the better of her.

"One. He is a half-human, apparently the leader of the Guado. Maester Renatus, I think is what the information I read said. There is something else interesting I read. Apparently, there is a special place here. They call it the Farplane. There was no detailed information on it. All I found out is that it is the 'place where the dead live again.' I have no idea what it means, so I guess we'll find out when we get there."

"I'll be ready. Meanwhile, I think seeing Milburga scared Anselm. I think we should go to him."

"Yeah, you're right," Gwandoya replied, removing the world and picking up the sphere once again. "Hide your secrets." The secrets of the universe returned to where they came from and Gwandoya led Bergljot out of the map.

"Doya?"

"Hmm?" he looked at her.

"I am terribly sorry abut your home," she wrapped her arms around him. Gwandoya did not return it.

"My grieving is finished. Your husband is the one who needs the comfort."

"Okay."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Anselm, give me the controls."

"No. I haven't piloted for eight hours yet," Anselm snapped at his wife.

"Look, you only said that you would take over Doya's shift. His…err… yours is over and mine is starting. Your brother said that you could have his shift and I could take yours, now gimme," Bergljot commanded stubbornly. They had been going at it for ten minutes, but Anselm refused to comply. "Doya's asleep right now, anyway."

"Fine, take it," he muttered in defeat. Bergljot began to strap herself into the seat. "What time is it, anyway?"

"Just after four in the afternoon. Why?"

"Just wondering. Are you hungry?"

"No, I ate just a few minutes ago. But thanks," she nodded and turned her attention to the expanse before her. She heard a yawn behind her as Gwandoya walked into the room. "Morning, sleeping ugly."

"Ha ha. Very funny. We still have about thirty-six hours to go at least," he told them as he sat down. "Did Bergljot tell you where we're going, bro?"

"Ogden. I hear it's supposed to be nice there," Anselm answered.

"Infinite spring," Bergljot said, focusing as best she could on the route. "This is taking way too long. Can't we speed it up a little bit?"

"No," Gwandoya stopped. "We're traveling too slow for any Heartless to pick us up on radar. They only attack objects that move at swift speeds. This is the speed that a meteor or asteroid moves, so they will assume that that's what we are."

"Alright, fine, I just thought I'd ask," Bergljot said, turning to face him. She turned back around in time to see a gigantic meteor shooting through the sky at about their pace. It was about the size of a small planet; probably half the size of what Ogden seemed to be. It missed them by only a couple of yards.

"Whoa," Bergljot whispered. "How did that form?"

"I don't know, but if that were to hit a planet, everything would be annihilated," Anselm said, gawking at the rock.

"That was _not_ on the map!" Gwandoya exclaimed in shock. Just as suddenly as it had come upon them, it was gone.

"I hope it hits a Heartless ship," Bergljot smiled.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Hours had passed since the encounter. Bergljot handed over the controls to Gwandoya and joined her sleeping husband in the makeshift bedroom.

"So how does it feel to be this far from home?" Anselm asked as he sat up and watched his wife put her pajamas on.

"Did I wake you? I'm sorry," she apologized.

"No, I couldn't sleep. You didn't answer my question."

"I don't know. It feels good to get out, but I miss all of my family and friends."

"You still have Gwandoya and I here," Anselm smiled. He pulled the blankets back so his wife could get in bed.

"Yeah, but still…" she whispered. "I'm glad you came."  
"Well, I had to. I'm sworn to protect you. I would have come even if I wasn't."

"And I would have come with you even if I weren't the Keyblade master."

"I love you," Anselm whispered.

"I love you, too," Bergljot said. They kissed and fell into an uneasy slumber.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

SKREE! SKREE! SKREE! SKREE! SKREE! SKREE! SKREE! SKREE! Bergljot and Anselm leapt out of bed in a panic. They dressed hurriedly and ran to the deck. SKREE! SKREE! SKREE! SKREE! SKREE! SKREE! SKREE! SKREE! SKREE!

"What's going on?" Bergljot yelled over the noise of the siren as she strapped into a seat.

"Heartless! I couldn't find any on radar so I decided to speed it up a little bit! It seems they've been pulling the same trick on us that we played on them," Gwandoya called. He turned off the siren and accelerated greatly. "Hold on, you two. This may not end well."

"We're ready," Anselm said. He and Bergljot grasped hands tightly.

"AH!" Bergljot screamed in fear as a laser hit the ship, causing sparks to fly off the side. Anselm leaned over and held her tightly.

"It's okay, baby. We'll get out of this."

Gwandoya turned sharply to avoid another hit. Fortunately, the Heartless ship could not maneuver that quickly. Gwandoya aimed at the ship and fired. Black smoke filled their view for a second. More ships began pursuit. There was a small planet in the Gummi ship's path.

"Can't we go faster?" Bergljot yelled.

"We're already going at top speed!" Gwandoya replied, not taking his eyes off the void for a moment. "Hold on!"

KABOOM! A ship had taken a shot at an engine, causing it to explode.

"We're going to crash! Brace yourselves!" Gwandoya screamed.

The Heartless saw that they had successfully caused the ship to crash and tore away. _The Isra_ shot towards the planet. It was engulfed by flames as it entered the atmosphere. The group watched in fear as the ground grew ever closer. Gwandoya managed to turned the ship and slow it so the damaged engine would break the fall.

"We're going to jump! Get ready!" he called as he opened the hatch. Anselm and Bergljot followed. "On three! One! Two! THREE!"

The trio jumped from the ship just before it hit. BANG! CRUNCH! CLANG! The ship rolled a few times and stopped. The travelers landed hard and collapsed. None of them knew how long they had been there.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

They awoke to find a pair of bluish-black and silver plated boots in front of them. Bergljot slowly raised her head to find a very tall, blue haired person standing over them, a staff in her hand and veins visible around her eyes. She said only three words to them in a gentle, yet stern voice:

"Welcome to Ogden."

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Alright! The shortest chapter yet! I'll try to update more often; I'm finally getting to some of the points I preplanned. I hope you all are enjoying this so far. Hopefully you are, because I'm anticipating at least thirty or forty chapters. I need reviews people! Thanks to Soul Vagabond for the only review I have received so far. I need more people to review, though! If this was just for SV, I could e-mail it to him/her! Anyway, even if you don't like to review, PLEASE REVIEW! I want to know that my efforts are not being wasted!

Next Chapter: Who is that mysterious woman with the blue hair and staff? Where have they landed (Final Fantasy X players: If you haven't figured it out yet, you suck!)? Will they ever learn about the Farplane? The answers to these questions and more in Chapters 5 and 6.


	6. The Maester

****

Chapter V

The Maester

The young woman helped the trespassers up and silently led them to town. The town was small and seemed to be on giant tree, each hollow forming a different house or shop. Dawn was close, as Bergljot could see the faint grey behind them. The woman took them to the largest 'house' in the city.

"Please, come in," she offered, standing to the side so they could pass. She closed the doors and made to go into a room across the hall. "Please wait here for a moment."

"So this is Ogden, huh? I guess stepping on it worked, eh?" Anselm asked as he glanced at his brother.

"Yeah. That woman must have gone to get Maester Renatus. She must be a servant. What do you think, Bergljot? Bergljot?" Gwandoya looked up to find her walking up one of the two sets of stairs in the room.

Pictures of strange looking men with stranger hairdos and long beards lined the walls. Two caught her attention. One was a man with brown hair and brownish veins. He looked very old. The name underneath it read 'Maester Jyscal-Guado.' Looking at the picture next to it, Bergljot was shocked to see a major difference in the two. This man had stiff blue hair and blue veins, but no beard. He looked almost human. The nameplate read 'Maester Seymour-Guado: The link between humans and Guado.' She walked down to her fellow travelers and told them about the pictures. They jumped when they heard a voice from the door where the woman had disappeared.

"You must be the visitors. My name is Gillespie. I am the servant of Maester Renatus-Guado. If you need anything during your visit, please inform me. I will be honored to assist. Now if you would please walk this way, Maester Renatus-Guado has insisted on a feast for you," said the young Guado. She was tall, but had a hunched back. Her hair was green as were the veins on her face. She led the group into the dining hall, where a small table was filled with fresh fruit and larger tables were filled with meats, breads, wines, and cheeses. "Maester Renatus-Guado shall join you in a few moments," Gillespie bowed and walked out.

"This is great! We haven't even met the Maester yet and we get a feast! I'm starving!" Anselm tried to run at the food, but found he could not go anywhere. Bergljot had grabbed the hem of his shirt.

"I think we should wait for Maester Renatus. It would be rude to just dig in without him."

"She's right, bro," Gwandoya said.

"That won't be necessary. And I resent being called 'him,' came a voice from the other side of the room. The woman who had brought them there stepped forward. "I am Maester Renatus-Guado."

"Oh, I apologize," Bergljot said, kneeling.

"Is that supposed to be a bow? This is how we bow here," the Maester explained. She spread her arms and extended her left leg behind her. She brought her arms and leg in at the same time. Her arms swung forward and returned at her midsection. Both hands were cupped, left palm up and right palm down. Renatus bowed in that position and then straightened. "Now that you know who I am, I would like to know who you are."

"My name if Bergljot Skylar-Hammond. This is my husband Anselm Hammond…" -she nodded to Anselm- "And this is my brother-in-law Gwandoya Hammond." She nodded to Gwandoya who flinched at the sound of his long name. "Sorry. He prefers to be called Doya."

"It is a pleasure to meet you all. Let us eat. Please, sit down. I saw your ship enter the atmosphere and crash. I went to investigate and found you three sprawled on the ground. I have just sent my builders to retrieve and fix it. We have never had visitors from another world. My people will be very excited," Renatus excitedly explained as she sipped some wine. Her blue-silver hair was down to her mid-back and her bangs curved upwards and then downwards, almost as Seymour's hair did in his portrait. She had blue veins around her blue-grey eyes. She wore a long-sleeve blue top with red spots along the sleeves. The front was closed by two clasps sitting between her breasts, exposing her stomach. Her pants were blue and her boots were bluish-black with silver metal plated down the front to almost her toes. She wore a silver necklace with a dragon pendant around her neck. "What has brought you here?"

"I am the master of the Keyblade. It is my duty to protect the worlds from the Heartless," Bergljot began. "We just released our world from them yesterday and have come here to protect this world."

"Keyblade? Heartless? What are those?"

"The Heartless are the ones who shot us down. They are shadows, born from the darkness in a person's heart," Gwandoya explained darkly.

"My brother and I are sworn to protect Bergljot on her journey," Anselm added.

"As for the Keyblade…" Bergljot stood and drew them both. "These are the Keyblades. The silver opens or closes locks from the outside, but the gold opens or closes from the inside."

"I have never seen such weapons. I have yet to see Heartless on this world," Renatus shrugged. She kept her eyes on the keys. "How do you know they are here?"

"The Heartless' ships were hovering a short way from the planet. That's when they shot us down," Bergljot said and shook her head. "They may not have reached this part of the world yet. There is a Keyhole somewhere. That is how the Heartless get on planets. Some pilot ships to try and drive us away from the area. Needless to say, they aren't very successful."

"I see. Well," Renatus sighed as she stood. "I suppose I will join you in your search of this world."

"No. I cannot ask you to put yourself in danger," Bergljot said as she, too, stood.

"I am the leader of this world. I must fulfill my duty to protect them. If the Heartless are as dangerous as you say, I must help."

"Very well," Bergljot regrettably agreed. She doubled over in pain. "Ouch…"

"Are you alright?" Anselm laid a hand on her arm.

"I think I hurt something when we crashed."

"Is there a doctor here?" Gwandoya looked at Renatus.

"Of course. There is an inn near the entrance to the village. The keeper is a doctor. He'll heal her. After you feel better, come back here. We'll decide where to go from there," Renatus called after their fleeting backs. They left the house and Renatus collapsed into her cushioned couch. She had just closed her eyes when she was startled to hear someone talking to her.

"They will destroy this world."

"Who?"

"The strangers you have brought in here," The man said with a matter-of-fact tone in his slow, quiet voice. The blue-haired half-Guado walked over to his descendant. "They will destroy this place, not the Heartless.

"Just look at her weapons. Keys that can lock or unlock any door. No place is safe."

"But, Maester Seymour, what are we to do?" Renatus asked in a panicked voice.

"We will help them find the Keyhole. When they are ready to seal it, we will take the Keyblades and push the trespassers through the lock. In the meantime, we will make them think that we are there to help. Let them lead us there. After the Keyblades are ours, you can finish what I started one thousand years ago."

"Yes, I will master."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Maester Renatus-Guado seems nice enough, don't get me wrong, but I don't trust her," Gwandoya shook his head. Bergljot was sitting on a table in the inn with a towel draped across her front as the innkeeper spread herbs on her wounds.

"She did bring us here to help us," she pointed out.

"Yeah, but she seemed nervous when we mentioned the Keyblades and Heartless. Besides, you've always been an overly trusting person, Bergljot," Anselm smiled.

"It is not unusual for people to be mistrusting of the Maesters over the last thousand years," the innkeeper said.

"What do you mean?" Bergljot asked, turning her neck to look at the elderly Guado.

"One thousand years ago, this world was joined with twenty-five other worlds. At the time they were cities or ruins. During that time, the leader of this land was Maester Jyscal-Guado. He married a human who gave birth to a half-Guado, half-human son named-"

"Seymour-Guado," Bergljot finished. "So that's what the plate meant about 'the link between human and Guado.'"

"I see you found his portrait. Anyway, because Seymour was shunned as a child for being different, he and his mother fled to Baaj Temple. His mother died there and became a Fayth."

"Fayth?" Anselm asked.

"A spirit. Do you know of summoning?" The innkeeper handed Bergljot her clothes.

"Yes. We have one stone," she pulled it from her pocket and showed it to the innkeeper. She began to dress. Guado were obviously not shy about nudity, as the keeper did not acknowledge her nakedness. "I haven't tried summoning yet, though."

"This Aeon is Seraphina. She's a fire and thunder element. Very powerful. Keep it nearby," he said and handed it back to Bergljot who pocketed it. "Here, take this. A mere pocket is not suitable enough for summon gems," The innkeeper handed her a pouch that was adorned with a symbol on both sides. The symbol's 'head' was an oval with a circle inside it, making it resemble an eye. It had a 'body' and two 'wings.' Bergljot was reminded of a bird perched on a branch. She placed Seraphina into the pouch and tied it onto her belt.

"Thank you. Please, finish the story."

"Anyway, when one summons, the Fayth becomes an Aeon and is able to fight. After the fight, the Fayth returns to the stone. Seymour mastered his mother's Aeon and returned here. At that time, this land was called Guadosalam. The entire nation, all twenty-six cities, was called Spira. Every ten years, a monster named Sin rose from the sea and terrorized the lands. Summoners from all cities traveled from temple to temple, praying and mastering the Aeons. There were nine Aeons, but only four remain. When a Summoner was strong enough and had the power of the Aeons, he traveled to a place called the Calm Lands and battled Sin. Both the Summoner and Sin perished. The last time Sin appeared, the daughter of Lord Braska, the Summoner before her, began her journey to destroy Sin. Lady Yuna was her name. She and her six guardians traveled as all Summoners did. There was a Blitzball tournament one day and it was learned that Maester Jyscal-Guado had passed on. His son became the new Maester of the Guado. During the Tournament, fiends were released into the stadium. Seymour summoned his mother and became a hero. He proposed to Yuna when her group arrived here, but it was later discovered that he had murdered his father. She and Seymour went to Macalania Temple to pray for the Fayth. That was the temple that the Guado controlled at the time. We have no temple now. As I was saying, the guardians went into the temple to help Yuna. They found a sphere in Yuna's room that revealed that Seymour killed his father. Seymour confirmed it when they went into the prayer room. Yuna and her friends battled and killed Seymour, but his servant Tromell took away the body before Yuna could send him. They were arrested for going against Yevon, our god. It was discovered that Seymour remained on the planet and kidnapped Yuna to marry him. Yuna only went through with it so that she could send him. The guardians crashed the wedding and were captured by Seymour's guards. The wedding was pulled through in the holy city of Bevelle, but Yuna leapt from the building they were wed on just after they were officially husband and wife and was caught by one of her Aeons. She gained the Bevelle Aeon but was forced to fight Seymour again outside. Seymour was defeated but showed up again on Mount Gagazet, home of a race called the Ronso. Again, he was defeated but not sent. He was the one who planned to release the fiends into the stadium to prove that he was worthy of the title Maester. He was fought for the last time just before Sin was destroyed. Yuna sent him and destroyed Sin. She was also the first Summoner to live. Apparently, Seymour wanted to marry Yuna so she would turn him into the Final Aeon and he could become Sin. There is an even longer story behind that one. Seymour had become corrupt and disgraced the Guado name. We left the city and hid in Macalania Woods out of shame. The Ronso wanted us destroyed, but Lady Yuna helped regain the city for us and change the Ronso minds. Shortly after, a large meteor hit the planet. Guadosalam was the only town to survive. It was renamed Ogden. All other life was destroyed, save what was in the city. His house is still here. Each Guado Maester for all the millennia has lived in that house. Maester Renatus-Guado is Maester Seymour's very great granddaughter. Yuna secretly had a child by him after he was destroyed. Despite her hate for him, she could not kill the child. She sent the child to be raised by Guado. The child never knew his mother, but he knew his father. Each Maester since Jyscal married either a human or another Guado. After the humans were eliminated from this world, every other Maester traveled to other worlds and found a husband or wife and brought him or her back. If a female went and the man refused to leave with her, she stayed on the world just long enough to become pregnant. The others married a Guado to keep the half-Guado race going. There is a rumor that Seymour speaks through death to his descendants. He gives advice, but waits for one who will be easy to manipulate and finish his work. Of course, it is only a rumor. Only the royal family knows if it is true."

"I didn't understand a few things. What is 'being sent?' What exactly is Sin?" Gwandoya asked.

"A sending is performed by a Summoner. The Summoner performs a ritual and sends the dead body's spirit to the Farplane. When the spirit is separated from the body, it becomes a ball of light called a Pyrefly. As for Sin, he was the armor of Yu Yevon. Yevon would take the person who became the Final Aeon and make it the armor. 'Dead for a thousand years; A great terror arose from the deep; It swept across the land; A lone past still lingers; Destiny can't be denied; A burden grows heavier; To the kingdom of the sun across a vast sea; The journey home begins.' That is what we say about Sin."

"The Farplane…" Bergljot whispered, "May we see it?"

"No. We are very particular about who enters."

"You said something about a Blitzball Tournament. What's Blitzball?" Anselm asked.

"Ah, Blitzball! The sport of Spira! There are six players on each team: A goalie, right defense, left defense, right offense, left offense and center offense. The players must be able to hold their breath for long periods of time. A giant sphere is filled with water and the players swim in it. There is one white ball with a blue stripe. The sport is very brutal, but before Sin and Yu Yevon were finally destroyed, it was the only entertainment we had. If not for Blitzball, we would have known nothing but sorrow."

"Wow…" Bergljot said. "Thank you very much. We would love to hear more, but Maester Renatus is expecting us back."

"Do not let me stand against the Maester's wishes. I hope you will return to hear more."

The trio left, never seeing the dark shadow that hovered above the keeper, waiting to smother him and steal his heart.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"They know."

"What, my lord?" Renatus asked.

"The fool of an innkeeper told them of summoning and Sin. He even told them of Blitzball and how I was killed."

"What are we to do?" Renatus sighed hopelessly. Seymour, seeing her mind weakening, began to slowly and subtly take control.

"He is already dead. They killed him after extracting the information they wanted."

"We must stop them…" Renatus trailed off.

"Stop who?"

"Oh, I did not hear you come in," Renatus said hurriedly. She quickly searched the room for Seymour.

"What are you looking for?" Gwandoya asked.

"Huh? Oh nothing."

"So, who do we have to stop?" Anselm repeated his wife's question.

"The Heartless," The Maester lied. "I sense death in this place. A heart has been taken in your absence. The innkeeper, I think."

"We just came from there and saw nothing," Bergljot looked at her partners, who shrugged.

"Perhaps we should begin the search," Renatus suggested.

"Yes. I think we should go back to where we crashed, first. We'll explore the surrounding area afterwards," Gwandoya agreed. The trio walked out of the house once more.

_This is too easy…_ Renatus thought. An evil smirk spread across her face as she followed the visitors.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The group traveled with little trouble, save a few Heartless that idiotically stood in their path. They were easily subdued. The group walked into the clearing and gazed at the surrounding forest.

Bergljot sighed. She took her gaze away from the forest before her and looked hopelessly at the wreckage as her fellows moved inwards. The Guado workers were busy repairing the ship, but it looked as though the ship would remain in tatters.

"Excuse me," she asked the nearest worker. "How long do you think it will be before it can fly?"

"At least one or two days," he replied in an annoyed voice. Bergljot walked away at a call from Anselm.

"So, where to from here?" Anselm asked as his wife joined them.

"The ship crashed over there," Renatus pointed. "How about spreading out and going over this whole clearing?"

"Okay. If anyone finds a Heartless, yell. If you find the Keyhole, whistle. No one go through the forest until we've all looked through here. I'll take the north, Maester Renatus take the east, Anselm take the west, and Bergljot take the south. Let's go," Gwandoya said, pulling out his shield. The group went their separate ways.

An hour passed before anything happened. Bergljot had been carefully turning over stones and keeping an eye out towards the trees.

_Boy, that forest gives me the creeps. There must be some Heartless in there. But, why aren't they attacking me if they want the Keyblades so much? I'm alone; this would be the perfect time to strike…_ Bergljot thought to herself. A twig snapping nearby made her jump. _Stay calm… it was probably a squirrel or something. That's it, a squirrel._

"UH!" Bergljot gasped as something touched her shoulder. The blades were poised to strike, but she stopped when she saw who it was and breathed a sigh of relief.

"You should have gone with your husband," Renatus whispered. "It's not safe for a young woman to wander alone, especially with such dangerous creatures crawling about."

"I haven't found anything yet. Have you?"

"No. But I think something's found us," Renatus looked up at the trees and saw no less than ten Heartless sitting in them. They greatly resembled wolves and large lizards.

"Anselm! Doya! Heartless!" Bergljot screamed. Renatus was uncharacteristically tense.

"We can handle these. Let's go get them," she said bravely. The Maester drew her staff and spun it, holding it near the top. When it settled, the staff had changed to a sword, the hilt resembling the head of the staff. They charged at the Heartless as they ran at the two women.

"Ah!" Bergljot yelled as the blades connected with a Heartless. It disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

"Take that!" Renatus muttered as she stuck a Heartless with her sword. It was gone.

"Wow. How is that so powerful?"

"No clue. It just is," Renatus said irritably as she stabbed another monster. Bergljot watched her suspiciously.

"Bergljot! We're coming! Duck!" came Anselm's call from behind them. "FIRE!" A large fireball shot over Bergljot as she dropped to the ground. Renatus remained standing and was caught in the middle.

"Oh, no…" Bergljot whispered. Gwandoya ran up and quickly destroyed the injured Heartless.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he helped Bergljot up.

"Forget me. Is Renatus okay?" She asked as she ran to where Renatus was surrounded by flame.

The fireball had been so large and hot, that it remained around the young Maester. She had her arms stretched out to her sides, the fire splitting around her and coming together behind her.

"Deep Freeze!" Bergljot yelled at the flames. The ice encased the flames and Renatus. "Maester! Are you okay?" she called. "What the fu…"  
The ice ball was trembling. The inside glowed orange and the ball exploded. Renatus' head was reclined backwards and her arms were once again stretched at her sides. When she lowered her head, an evil smile was spread on her face.

"Maester?" Anselm whispered nervously.

"Yes," she said loudly. Her voice was echoing slightly, the echo sounding more masculine. "But not Renatus. Her mind is weak. She trusted her ancestor too much. He was able to corrupt her easily. And we will destroy you all with the help of Ansem and the Heartless. Now, give us the Keyblades!"

"You'll never get them, Seymour!" Gwandoya yelled as he stepped in front of Bergljot. "I never trusted Renatus from the beginning! If you want the blades, you'll have to go through me!"

"Me too!" Anselm added as he took his place at his brother's side. They both drew their weapons.

"So you have discovered the secret," Seymour whispered. He raised his voice to almost a scream. "Pitiful mortals. Your hope ends here. And your meaningless existence with it!"

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So, how's the story so far? Yes, this is yet another cliffhanger.

Coming in Chapter 6: Two huge battles, a chase, a sending, a sealing, and maybe even Blitzball! 

This is the first reader feedback in this story, so I want responses! If you would like to see Blitzball played, let me know in a review. Let me know by June 1, 2004 at the latest and I'll see what I can do.


	7. Seymour and the Land of the Dead

****

Chapter VI

Seymour and the Land of the Dead

"No!" Bergljot's cry rang through the clearing. "You may be strong, but you're the one whose will is weak. No one can break our wills, but we can break yours. Our hearts are strong enough to endure your attacks."  
Seymour merely laughed quietly and said, "What a speech for one so young. Those words shall be recognized as the most famous of all last words!"

"Anselm, Gwandoya, look out!"

Seymour made Renatus reach out her hand and send a jet of water at the group. They managed to avoid it and began their advance at Renatus.

"What do we do? We can't kill the Maester," Anselm said in despair.

"This isn't Renatus. Seymour is controlling her body as Ansem controlled Riku's. The real Renatus would never do this," Gwandoya said as he blocked a lightning bolt.

"He's right. Riku was freed when Ansem was…uh… first killed, right? So if we beat Seymour, he should release Renatus," Bergljot said. She began the Aeroga spells. "Aeroga Gwandoya, Anselm and Bergljot."

"A small whirlwind cannot stop my blows," Seymour made Renatus yell. "I will not be denied the victory I have waited so long for!"

"AH!" Bergljot screamed. Seymour swung the sword at her and nicked Bergljot's shoulder.

"Force!" Anselm cried. The orb that had defeated the Heartless in the studio on Drummond returned on Seymour. Unfortunately, he was too large to be smashed on the ground.

"Ha! Your weak attacks are no match for me!" Renatus/Seymour screamed as she/he charged at Anselm in retaliation. "Take this!"

The blade swung through the air with a shriek. It hit Anselm with the flat side, knocking him winded to the ground, his staff flying from his hands. The blade came up again, this time aimed at Anselm's heart.

"Your blood shall stain the grass this day," whispered Renatus/Seymour. The blade came up and shot towards Anselm's chest. He braced for the oncoming pain.

CLANG!

A long silence followed the sudden noise, followed by a struggle of wills. Anselm and Gwandoya stared as Bergljot sat between the sword and Anselm, the Keyblades crossed to block the blow of the sword. Her shoulder bled heavily and she had removed the Aeroga spell.

"I won't let you take him from me," hissed Bergljot ferociously. She pushed the blades up and in doing so threw the sword aside. She stood and spun the Keyblades, holding them in a fighting position. She glared at Renatus/Seymour.

"Humph. Finally, a challenge."

Before he could react, Bergljot had run at him and slashed at his clothes. To her surprise, the blades cut the skin. She had expected only to be able to smack him. Stabbing a Heartless to death was one thing as they were not truly solid, but piercing a truly living creature? Bergljot was so taken aback that she barely dodged the next blow from the injured.

"Ah…" she moaned painfully. Bergljot had rolled on her bad shoulder and she could feel bits of soil and tiny stones irritating the inside of the wound. She stood and charged at the enemy once again. This time, her husband and brother-in-law followed suit.

"Come on, power!" cried Gwandoya as he arrived in front of the Maesters. He began to spin again, slicing through flesh with his shield.

"Blizzaga!" Anselm yelled, large pieces of ice pelting Renatus/Seymour.

"No… no… NO!" screamed Seymour. He was weakening quickly. The group was attacking from all sides, moving around as they finished each attack. Seymour was having trouble choosing one to hit.

"Let… Renatus… GO! You are no longer the Maester! You no longer belong here!" Yelled Bergljot. She dug the blades deep into Seymour's stomach.

"Ah…" he gasped breathlessly. Renatus then seemed to split into two as the blades connected with flesh. Renatus fell to the ground quietly, seemingly asleep or fainted. She lie still for a moment, breathing shallowly. Suddenly, the second half began to stand up. The young Maester's major wounds disappeared from her body and were transferred to the thing growing from her back. It looked up at the trio with anger and pain burning in his blue eyes. Seymour-Guado stood before them, blue hair flowing slightly, robes flapping in the light breeze. With one last glare, he glided backwards into the woods and out of sight.

"Heal, Bergljot," Anselm whispered.

"Why didn't you do that when we crashed?" Bergljot asked.

"Curaga only heals battle-induced wounds."

"Shouldn't we be taking care of her?" asked Gwandoya.

Renatus bled a little and was still very weak. Bergljot cast heal on her and her injuries disappeared. Minutes that felt like hours passed before Renatus awoke.

"Huh? SEYMOUR!" she screamed upon waking. Renatus began trembling.

"Maester, it's okay. He's gone into the woods," Gwandoya said.

"Of course! He must be going to the cave deep in the woods. There is a secret cave, blocked off by boulders having fallen from the mountains long ago. That must be where the Keyhole is. We must stop him," Renatus said, standing and looking at her friends.

"Very well, but we will need all our strength to beat him," Bergljot whispered. The group began the dangerous journey into the woods, prepared for the worst.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"We have come for you, Seymour! Come out and fight!" Called Renatus into the forest. The group stood alert in the woods, weapons drawn and eyes pealed for anything unusual. A quiet laugh startled all of them.

"Ha. You shall all perish, and I will finish what I started one thousand years ago."

Crash. Rustle. Seymour came out of the woods, but he no longer looked like himself. He was floating above the ground and was a deep blue or black. He was mildly transparent, but he had a glow about him as well to prevent total invisibility.

"No…" Renatus whispered. "Seymour Omnis, the most powerful of his forms."

"We can handle him," said Bergljot. "Charge!"

The group ran at him at full force, but Seymour merely made a sweeping motion with his hands and they were swept off their feet.

"How can we beat that?" Anselm asked.

"We don't," Gwandoya answered. "Bergljot, what are you doing? Get back here!"

Bergljot ignored him. She was walking slowly in front of Seymour and used her blades to form a circle around her. She spun the blades and stuck them in the ground. A small stone was suddenly in her hands and, upon looking at it, discovered the summoning gem. She crouched between the blades and whispered the name of the Aeon.

"Seraphina, bring us your light." As the words left her mouth, the gem rose into the air and glowed. The wind picked up, and Bergljot was forced out of the circle. The blades spun around the circle and soon rested in their master's hands once more. In the middle of the circle stood a tall angel, glowing in robes made of fire, with six wings sticking out of it's back.

"Tell it what to do," Renatus says. "It won't attack until you tell it to, unless you tell it 'free mind.'"

"Okay. Seraphina-" the angel stood alert at its name. "- Cast Firaga!"

Whoosh. A large ball of flame shot at Seymour Omnis from the Aeon's fingertips. Seymour retaliated with a blast of ice.

"Why is she looking at me like that?"

"She has a special attack to use. I think its Feather Shoot," called Renatus. Bergljot nodded in reply.

"Seraphina, Feather Shoot!"

The Aeon turned to face her master and crossed her arms. She spread them forcefully, and feathers from her wings shot at Seymour.

"UH!" he cried as he was pelted with sharp feathers tips. He drew a spear from nowhere and threw it at the attacker. She flinched, but the heat of her robes disintegrated the projectile. A golden light shone around her.

"What's that?"

"Her megattack. All Aeons have super powerful attacks that charge both when they are attacked and when they are the ones doing the attacking, whether it hits or not. Try telling her Dive Bomb."

"Dive Bomb!" Bergljot repeated the order.

The Aeon rose into the air until she was above the clouds. When she looked as though she was another sun, she burst into flames and shot back at the ground in Seymour's direction.

"HUH! NO!" he screamed as the Aeon consumed him in flame. He began to shoot spells at Seraphina. She eventually collapsed in a heap and disappeared as the monster had on Drummond.

"Come on, he's weak! Let's go!"

"Aeroga Renatus, Gwandoya, Anselm and Bergljot!" cried Anselm as they charge at the monster before them.

Seymour Omnis blocked as many attacks as possible and shot many at his attackers, but to no avail. He was taken down with one final blow of Bergljot's blades. As the weapons connected his flesh, he was turned back into his original form, this time even more broken.

"Ah… My daughter… How could you do this? Your own grandfather… Do you… pity me now?"

"No. I'm ashamed to share lineage with you. This is no longer your place. You should never have come back."

"The Keyhole. We must seal it now!" called Bergljot. She ran to the cave that had been hidden behind Seymour during the entire fight. "Renatus, come with me. Doya and Anselm, guard _him_ until we get back."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Bergljot, I apologize."

"For what?" she replied as the two women cleared the boulders.

"Seymour. If I were a stronger ruler…" Renatus trailed off.

"No. He was corrupt from the start. I suspect he met Ansem while they were banished and the thirst for power that was already there was increased with visions of ruling many worlds, not only this one."

"Anyway, I am very excited. I have never seen a sealing before," said Renatus excitedly.

"There it is," Bergljot said quietly.

The hole was in the wall across from them. It glowed bright blue at the arrival of the Keyblade Mistress. She raised both blades and pointed them at the hole. Two lasers shot out and merged as one halfway between the ends of the blades and Keyhole. There was a click, and the outline darkened.

"Wow. Come now. We must decide what to do about my not-so-great-grandfather."

"Right," Bergljot turned to leave.

"Wait. Here," Said Renatus. "Thank you for rescuing us."

"What are they?"

Renatus had handed Bergljot two small items. One was a key chain fashioned into a shape that Bergljot took to be a pyrefly. The other was a summoning gem.

"Put the chain on one of the blades."

Bergljot did so, and was shocked to find that it changed shaped and size. It was longer than the original and had a pyrefly for teeth instead of the normal ones. It also seemed to be made of intertwined wood of various colors, including green, blue and violet.

"The other is a summon gem. Seymour's mother, Anima. She's one of the strongest Aeons. Her special attack is Pain and her megattack is Oblivion. Use it well," Renatus bowed and left, Bergljot soon following.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

"I say destroy him," said Gwandoya.

"No!" came Renatus' cry as she and Bergljot arrived at the scene. "Allow me to send him to the Farplane."

"You're sure he won't come back?" Asked Anselm.

"No, but I would like to be able to see him, despite his evil ways. Step back."

The group stepped back and watched as Renatus turned the sword back into the staff. She took off her boots and walked slowly up to Seymour, holding the staff a quarter of the way up from the bottom so the head was mere centimeters above the ground. She looked at Seymour sorrowfully and spoke to him for the last time.

"I am sorry, but this is how it must be."

She then began to do the last thing Bergljot, Anselm, and Gwandoya thought she would do. 

She began to dance.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

"Thank you all again for helping me. Your vessel should be ready in a few minutes."

"Thank you Renatus. I suppose this is good-bye for now," Bergljot bowed as Renatus had demonstrated when they arrived. Anselm and Gwandoya were buying supplies from the local merchants. "Perhaps we will return someday. Maybe you could teach us Blitzball.

"That would be nice," Renatus said quietly. There was an awkward silence between the two.

"Well, good-bye, and thank you for everything," Bergljot turned to leave.

"Wait. Go find your husband and brother. Bring them back here."

"Doya's not my brother. He can't accept me as his brother's wife," she said sadly. "Before our union, Doya and I got along great. I'm the godmother of his daughter and son, and he was always there if I needed him. But now…"

"I see. Perhaps he will change his mind soon. Now, hurry."

"Why do you need them?"

"Just go. You shall see shortly."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

"Why did Maester Renatus say she wanted us again?" asked Gwandoya.

"Look, I told you. She just wants us back there."

"Maybe she wants to give us presents. It's not fair that you get a weapon power up and a summons," Anselm griped. The group had left the inn and was heading back to the manor.

"Who says you can't use the summons? They follow who ever calls on them, not one single person," Bergljot explained. Anselm had no reply and they continued walking in silence.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"That didn't take long," Renatus called as the group approached. "Come. I have something to show you."

She led the group through the town and up through the 'tree.' when they came to a hollow with a light post on either side, Renatus stopped.

"Please, close your eyes until we get there."

The group, eyes closed and hands holding the one ahead, made it's way up a path and up a set of steps.

"Be warned, you will pass through a portal here. When you pass, you may open your eyes," Renatus said and stepped through. Gwandoya went next, followed by Anselm, and then Bergljot went last.

"Ah!" the trio gasped. They were on a platform that was jutting out of a cliff. There was a field full of flowers underneath and around. Across there was a large, golden waterfall. A light-blue never-setting sun was high in the sky, and pyreflies flew among the plants.

"Welcome to the Farplane," Renatus said. "Where the dead rise again."

She walked over to one side and bowed her head slightly. A group of pyreflies flew up and formed a picture of Seymour. He gazed at his descendant. Renatus turned to her friends for a moment.

"Think of the dead person you wish to see and he or she will appear. Now if you don't mind, I would like to be alone with Seymour for a few moments."

Gwandoya walked over to the other side and was greeted by his parents. Anselm turned and went to a space next to him. There, a short man with whitish colored hair stood before him. He wore a blue tunic, white slacks, gold-color boots and a blue cap. In his hand was a staff. Anselm began speaking to Donald.

Turning back to Gwandoya, Bergljot saw that he was now conversing with a tall man with black hair. This man wore a green cap, brown boots, an orange shirt, blue slacks, and a green vest. Gwandoya, too, began conversing with Goofy.

Bergljot turned to the last empty side and could think of no one.

__

Dad…why were you killed? Why did I have to take up the blades? Why this? Why now? Why me? She thought. Tears filled her eyes at the thought of her parents. A movement caught her eye and she looked up. A gasp escaped her lips before she could stop it. Before her stood her mother and father. She gazed at her lovingly while he looked at her proudly.

"Mom… Dad… I miss you terribly, and I wish you were here to help me. Anselm has been a good husband, mom. Just like he promised. Daddy, I wish you could have been at the wedding. It was beautiful. I love you both," she whispered. Her thoughts turned to the wedding and her parents disappeared.

"Hey."

"Oh… Anselm. I saw my parents," she began to cry a little on her husband's shoulder.

"Hey, why don't you try calling someone else?" Anselm suggested.

"Okay," said Bergljot. She racked her brain for another, but nobody came. For some reason, pictures from her history classes came to mind. They were of Sora and Kairi on their wedding in the tenth Kingdom Hearts game. Bergljot sighed and looked up. She nearly fainted at the sight of Sora and Kairi standing before her.

"My master…"  
Sora was clad in deep blue clothes with black armor. His hair was classically spiked and brown, his blue eyes more brilliant than her own. Kairi stood by, wearing a long lavender skirt and white tank top. Her red hair was long, and her eyes were as blue as her husband's. Kairi's stomach was slightly swollen, showing that she was most likely pregnant when she died. They beamed at their only living descendant.

"I promise to finish what you began, Sora. Ansem will be killed once and for all, as will the Heartless. I swear to it."

Sora and Kairi nodded in unison. Somehow, Sora was able to reach out his hand. Bergljot reached for it and actually touched it. At the instant of contact, Bergljot felt pain surge through her body, and she could barely hear Anselm, Gwandoya and Renatus screaming. Sora pulled her into the side containing pyreflies. The only problem was that her body stayed behind.

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WHOO HOO! SIX CHAPTERS AND ONE PROLOGUE DOWN AND ONLY ABOUT FORTY OR FIFTY MORE TO GO! Okay, enough of that. Bet none of you were expecting to see Sora and Kairi, huh? Well, they're in there. I have a correction to make in the last chapter; I stated that Jyscal had brown hair. In reality, his hair is blue. Is it just me, or is it hard to determine hair color in the damn Farplane? Anyway, the ten KH game was my idea. I personally think that there will be 13 games. In the ASAS Deep Dive video, the countdown starts at 13 instead of a rounded number (Say, 15) and ends at 2... The number that the video is a 'trailer' for. At least, that's what I think. If you know why it's like that or have your own idea, let me know. I may use it; who knows? I decided to put Blitzball in a later chapter. It's too complicated to fit it in here.

Chapter 7: Sora and Kairi reveal some secrets about the Heartless and Ansem. You also discover why Gwandoya has those dreams (reference to some events in the first chapter). Also: Leaving Ogden and off to a new world.


	8. History Lesson 101, Part 2

****

Chapter VII

History Lesson 101, Part 2

"Hmm…" Bergljot continued to lie on the soft ground.

She was lying facedown on a bed of flowers, her eyes tightly shut. She did not know how long it was before she finally opened her eyes and sat up. Upon rising, she found that she was not in a bed, but in a field of flowers, a patch of fog obscuring the view behind her. She tried to stand, but her legs refused to comply.

"Hello? Help me! Is anybody out there?"

"Of course we're here," came a ghostly male voice from the fog.

"W-Who said that?" Bergljot asked in fear.

"Do not fear. We will not harm you."

"The last thing I remember was taking Sora's hand…"

"Correct. We are the ones who brought you here. There are a few things you must be made aware of before you fulfill that promise you so readily made," came a female voice from the same area.

From the fog, two figures took shape. Bergljot stared wide-eyed and smiling slightly. One was Sora, the other, Kairi.

"We have some things to tell you," Kairi explained as she sat on a soft bit of grass. "You are our… Well, let's just say very great-granddaughter."

"I know. I can understand that," Bergljot said. "Now, what has happened? Where am I?"

"We have brought you to the Farplane so we could discuss some things with you," Sora explained. Only then did Bergljot notice the pyreflies.

"You mean… I'm dead?"

"No. When your hands touched, Sora took hold of your soul. We brought your soul here, leaving your body still living in the real world. It is unconscious, breathing very little, but not so little that it will die. We must make hast, though. If your body is left too long without a soul, or Renatus tries to send it, it will die and you will be stuck here forever," Kairi told her.

"Oh, Anselm must be so scared."

"We don't want to keep you long, so we better get started. Listen closely. The first thing to know about your journey is a little geography lesson. Thousands of years ago, the worlds were all connected. Some were physically connected while others were a mere twelve hours space flight from each other," Sora began slowly. "Then, back in what would have been the nineteen hundreds on Drummond, there was a cataclysmic event that tore the worlds apart. Some worlds remained in tact, with only parts of the world destroyed. Some others had only small sections, such as cities, which survived by being thrown from the planet. At any rate, that is when the worlds separated."

"Destiny Islands, where we grew up and led most of our adult lives, was one of those that remained on the original planet," Kairi added.

"They never taught us that in school," Bergljot said in surprise.

"It was decided that nobody should know of those events. This is information we've gained throughout our travels. Unfortunately, there is no data about what the event was," Sora shrugged. "Anyway, once Kingdom Hearts is sealed once and for all, the worlds will join as they were long ago."

"If it's not too personal, how did you die?" Bergljot asked. She had always thought of them as great figures, and could think of no reason for them to pass on.

"Our deaths were… unexpected and painful," Kairi started sadly. "We were in our early forties, about to have what would have been our third and fourth children as you can see. They were twins, meant to be our last, and I unexpectedly went into premature labor. One was born and managed to live, but I died before having the other. Because of this, I am cursed to be pregnant forever."

"Kairi's death was shocking, and I became troubled," Sora continued. "One day about six months later, I had been traveling through our world, preparing to visit her grave. Out of the woods came a Heartless. I was surprised, I thought they were all banished, but managed to finish it easily. Many more came, though. I was badly injured, despite the armor, and barely made it back to the village alive. I told them that I was dying, and after I was dead to flee the islands and build a wall around them so the monsters could not follow or attack other places. The people cared for me, but… my injuries were too severe. Riku, Donald, and Goofy were with me when I died. As I felt my life slipping, I told them to each take and care for one of the children. I asked to be alone to die."

"Riku remained, correct?" Kairi asked.

"That he did, but only because he had a confession to make. He told me that before Kairi and I were wed, there was one time when I was on another world, fighting with only Donald and Goofy for the last time. Riku confessed that he and Kairi had sex during the night before returned and she became pregnant. It was about three days before the wedding, and he and I were always competing for her affection prior to the event. I had assumed that I had impregnated her, as she conceived so close to our honeymoon. She never said otherwise. I smiled at him and forgave my old friend. I also told him to take the child that was rightfully his. I passed on just after."

"My god… I never knew that Riku and Kairi had…" Bergljot was having trouble taking it all in. A thought invaded her mind. "Wait… that means I could be related to him, right?"

"You aren't," Kairi stated in a final tone. "You are the very great-granddaughter of the child that brought my death. We have watched our children and descendants grow and we're one-hundred percent sure that you are the one."

"But I never asked for this!" Bergljot exclaimed. She finally managed to stand. "All I wanted was to marry the man I love, get pregnant, have a family! Now I can't have a family because I'm on this journey that's failed every time someone's gone through it for the past millennia!"

"Bergljot," Sora approached the sobbing woman and wrapped his strong arms around her. "I am sorry that this was loaded on you. Your father's untimely death was most unfortunate. We were mourning for days, as we knew that you would be unprepared for this. The Keyblade chose me as its master after Riku turned to darkness. It stays with the same family until the Final Sealing."

"I understand, but I still wish I could pass this to another," Bergljot said as she sank to the ground.

"That cannot happen," Kairi pointed out. "You are the only one. There are a few more things you must know. First of all, no matter how much you do, never hate anybody. Keep as much hate and anger out of your heart as you can as Heartless feed off of them. Never get pleasure from the deaths of even your enemies."

"Yes ma'am."

"Secondly, you must be prepared," Sora continued.

"Prepared? For what?"

"The Final Sealing," the couple said in unison.

"What's that?"

"When you reach the End of the World, you will be shown the door to the light. Ansem will be waiting for you with all of his Heartless. Gather all of your allies before venturing here. No matter how strong you think you are, you cannot defeat Ansem by yourselves," Kairi explained. "If Ansem wins, the worlds will be thrown into infinite darkness, and Kingdom Hearts will be completely destroyed. If you win, you will be able to seal the doors forever. Once sealed, you will have only a few minutes to return to the ship. After the worlds are joined again, the doors will self-destruct. Kingdom Hearts will still exist, but there will be no way to open it. Once the doors are sealed, you must leave the blades. They, too, will self-destruct, the result being disastrous. They and the doors will explode. The force will be so powerful, anyone and anything nearby will be turned to dust."

Bergljot, Sora and Kairi sat in silence for a long while, the ancestors waiting for a reaction, the descendant going over the information.

"It's impossible," Bergljot finally spoke. "No matter how many allies I gain, I can never defeat such a strong enemy."

"It seems impossible, but it is not. Retrieve all the Aeons that are still in existence. Call on all of them at once when you perform the Final Sealing," Sora commanded. "There are strong allies in Hollow Bastion, so be sure to seal that world and gain all citizens as allies."

"I can't…"

"Yes, you can. I was able to defeat Ansem when I was only fourteen years old. You are ten years more than that," Sora snapped forcefully. Tears began to swell in Bergljot's eyes, not because of Sora's anger, but out of despair.

"How? I'm not nearly as strong as you, nor am I as smart. I only wish that you could leave the Farplane with me," Bergljot said quietly. She looked up at them. "How much longer?"

"We have but two things more to tell you," Kairi answered.

"And they would be…?"

"Your brother-in-law. Gwandoya," Sora said plainly.

"What about him?"

"Those nightmares he had of Ansem returning were only the beginning. He will have more, each one worse than the last," Kairi whispered.

"But why?" Bergljot pleaded.

"You remember the child that Riku and I had?" Kairi asked. At a nod from Bergljot, she continued. "Well, it was a girl. Spuria, I named her. She married one of Goofy's sons."

"Oh, my god… that means…"

"Yes. Gwandoya is not only the grandson of Goofy, but Riku as well," Sora confirmed. "Ansem never fully let go of Riku, so he has had an influence on all of Riku's children since. The nightmares and voices Gwandoya hears are from Ansem, though he does not mean to send them. While Gwandoya can sense Ansem's plans through dreams, Ansem sends the voices on purpose to confuse him. At the same time, Ansem sees all of your plans. Or rather, the ones Gwandoya knows about."

"I have to tell him," Bergljot decided.

"NO!" Kairi and Sora cried together.

"You must not tell him unless he is dying," Kairi commanded.

"The only way to rid him of the voices is for him to die. If he knew that, he would most likely commit suicide," Sora explained quietly.

"Very well," Bergljot sighed. "What was the other thing?"

"If you begin to lose this fight, there is one ally who is nearly indestructible," Kairi said.

"Who? Where is he?"

"His body was hidden a little over one thousand years ago. The people of Hollow Bastion know where he is. You will have to persuade him to join you, as he is the most powerful of all evil. There is an incantation hidden in Hollow Bastion to revive him. Try explaining to him that there is an evil more powerful than him and that he must help destroy it. Even at that, the chances that he will join you are slim. However, if you can get him before Ansem, you will become virtually unstoppable. His name is S-" Sora froze and stared into space. He began to reach for her. "Your body… Renatus is trying to send you. You must go NOW!"

"One last question!" Bergljot called as she and Sora made contact once more. The Farplane began to fade. "Where is Destiny Islands?"

"Let's just say… it's closer to home than you think," the couple called as Bergljot returned to her body. "Come back if you ever need more help. Good-bye… and good luck."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

"Bergljot!" Anselm cried as his wife sat up swiftly.

She had been unconscious for two hours. Her breathing stopped a couple of minutes before, so Renatus tried to send her. Bergljot had gasped for breath suddenly and sat bolt upright.

"Welcome back," came Gwandoya's voice from nearby.

"I am glad you are safe. Tell us. What happened?" Renatus begged.

"You will never guess what I learned and who I talked to," Bergljot smiled.

She thus began to recount everything to her friends, being careful not to tell anything about Spuria or the nightmares. She did explain the deaths of the heart-sharers, the secret child of Riku and Kairi (she decided that that alone would give away nothing), the worlds, the Final Sealing, Hollow Bastion, the Aeons, the destruction of the blades and doors, and that Destiny Islands were 'closer to home than you think.' She did, however, decide not to tell of the hidden ally.

_There's no reason to bother with those details,_ she thought as she took one last look at the Farplane a short time later. Sora and Kairi waved to her as she exited the portal. _After all… no man is as indestructible as they say._

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"They're beginning to become quite a bother," the hooded man whispered angrily. "Two worlds have already slipped from my grasp in only one week. No matter."

The man lowered his hood and leaned over to take a closer look at his seeing pool. A pedestal that greatly resembled a birdbath stood before him. In the water, the man was able to see Bergljot, Anselm, Gwandoya and Renatus discussing matters outside of the Farplane. He had lost sight when they entered, but he suspected what had happened.

"Prepare my ship," he snapped at his hooded servant. The servant bowed and left the room. The man turned back to his work. "I must make haste if I am to retrieve the invincible one first. They will fall under my power soon enough."

The man laughed wickedly as he swept a hand over the pool, clearing the view and leaving only his reflection.

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Yippee! More reviews and more chapters! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Soul Vagabond for making a character I could use. So, any guesses as to the identity of the hooded spy? How about the invincible one? I'm trying to get reader interaction with this thing if nobody's noticed. I've decided to cut down a little on chapter size, but they will all stay five typed pages or more, so none of you will have to read anymore twenty page chapters (prologue and chapter 1 specifically).

Chapter 8 Sneak Peek: Leaving Ogden and (maybe) reaching the next world.


	9. Next Stop: Back to Before

****

Chapter VIII

Next Stop: Back to Before

"Thank you for everything," Bergljot said to Renatus as she prepared to board the ship. "We may not return before the Final Sealing, so be ready for the next time you see us."

"Of course. And thank you for helping us in our time of need," Renatus bowed. "Good luck on your journey."

"Good-bye, Maester!" the trio called as the Gummi ship took off. Renatus waved as her people gathered to watch the unusual group disappear into the mid-afternoon sky.

"So where are we off to now?" Anselm asked his brother as they traveled through the stars. Bergljot was setting up the autopilot as he and Gwandoya plotted their course in the map room.

"That's what I'm looking at…" Gwandoya answered quietly. He was judging the distances of the planets in relation to Ogden.

"You mean to tell me you two still haven't found anything?" Bergljot asked as she walked into the room.

"No, now let me plot the course," Gwandoya said irritably. He did a double take. "How did you get in?"

"You left the door ajar, smart one."

Bergljot and Anselm waited by the door impatiently. It was nearly twenty minutes before Gwandoya finally took a light and placed it on the platform.

"This…" he began dramatically. "Is our next stop."

"Huh?" the others said blankly. There was a castle and village on the planet. The castle was bordered on the front by a valley. The walls of the valley were waterfalls that fell up, covering the planet in a large lake. Platforms were at the 'foots' of the falls and led to the castle entrance. The village was behind the castle on an island, a bridge leading from castle to town.

"You don't know where this is? It's Itziar. You may know it better as Hollow Bastion."

"We're going to have to encounter Him then, aren't we?" Bergljot asked fearfully.

"No, I doubt it. It's highly unlikely that we'd have to fight him for anything or that he'd even be there," Anselm said. "Still, I don't believe we're coming this soon."

"We won't speed up this time. Not that it matters… They already know our plan."

"We still have a chance if we stay at a constant speed," Bergljot pointed out. "I say go for it."  
"Fine then. Itziar it is," Gwandoya agreed as he returned the globe.

The group returned to the control room, where Gwandoya immediately took the controls.

"You aren't supposed to be piloting," Bergljot said.

"We'll get there faster if there's the same person behind the wheel at all times. We won't have to wake each other up or look for the one who'll pilot next," Gwandoya explained. "Besides, I'm expecting Gilda to call."

"WHAT?" Bergljot cried. "How can she call this far from home?"

"Ace has a special video phone at his garage, and I told him that if Gilda needed to speak to me, she should call from there. She called while you were saying your good-byes to the Guado, and left a message saying she'd call back later," Gwandoya turned to Bergljot. "If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone when she calls."

"Oh. I guess I'll go wash up and go to bed then."

"I still don't understand why you can't come home for at least a couple of hours."

Bergljot awoke from her deep slumber a few hours later to the sounds of two people arguing. She climbed out of bed quietly so as not to wake Anselm or alert Gwandoya and slipped out to the cockpit. Gwandoya was sitting in the pilot's seat, his wife's face across the screen in front of him.

"I told you, we have to go to Itziar for some answers. I'll be there in a few days," Gwandoya argued angrily.

"Zita is so afraid that you're going to die. To be honest," Gilda said with tears in her eyes. "I'm afraid for you, too."

"I know. But you've all got to be strong until I get there."

"It's not just that we're afraid. It's awful lonely, especially at night," she whispered flirtingly.

"I told you before I left. I can't have sex with you until this is over. It's the same situation with you as Bergljot. If you get pregnant, I have to stay there to care for you."

"No you don't. I can take care of myself. One of my girlfriends could get me to the hospital…"

"But I couldn't live with myself if that happened," Gwandoya said sadly. "Look, I have to get back to piloting. I'll call you soon."

"Okay. I love you, my sweet," Gilda said finally.

"I love you, too. Tell the kids I said hi and I love them."

Gwandoya turned around as he and his love hung up, and Bergljot was shocked to see him crying. She received another shock when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"You okay?" Anselm asked as Bergljot turned around swiftly.

"Yeah. Did you hear any of that?"

"No. What was it?"

"Come on, I don't want Doya to hear and be embarrassed."

The couple slipped back into the bedroom where Bergljot commenced to recap the parts of the conversation she heard. An awkward silence followed.

"I can understand what he means," Anselm said quietly. "Still…"

"I don't want that to happen to us," Bergljot whispered. She looked at her husband. "One more time?"

Anselm turned, smiled, and kissed the young woman.

Two days later, the trio was getting tired of waiting to arrive at the next world. Gwandoya didn't know what had happened the other night, and Anselm and Bergljot wanted it to stay that way. Bergljot felt slightly different, almost ill, but she couldn't figure out what it was. She decided it was nerves about where they were going. Finally, a small planet came into view. Gwandoya had gotten only about three hours of sleep, and Anselm now took the controls so he could rest.

"So that's where the Heartless came from," Bergljot whispered in awe as she wrapped her arms around her husband's chest.

"Yeah…" Anselm sighed. "We aren't ready for this."

"We'll be okay as long as we stick together. If the descendants of Sora's allies are there, and they're as strong as their ancestors, we'll be fine," she looked down on the planet. "I wonder what the people down there are like…"

The rich lady opened her purse and dropped quite a large sum of gil on the floor.

"Whoops," she smiled. The woman turned to pay the merchant.

The young thief watched eagerly nearby. This was the moment she'd been waiting for all day. She had stalked the buyer all through the market. As the rich woman paid, the thief slipped next to her and scooped up one thousand gil. She walked swiftly towards the exit, talking quietly to herself as she walked.

"That had to be the easiest heist I've ever pulled," she slipped the currency into her pouch. "This'll make the guys really happy."

"Halt!" came a voice from behind her as she stepped into the square. "You are under arrest for the thievery of fifteen thousand gil over the course of- HEY! GET BACK HERE!"

The thief bolted in the opposite direction. The citizens of Itziar stepped out of the way quickly. As she turned into an alley, a bullet whizzed by, nicking her shoulder. The woman cried out in pain, but continued to run.

"Stop or we'll all shoot!"

Despite the threat, the woman kept running, only to be slowed by bullets aimed at her. Fortunately, she was the fastest ninja in the world. As she reached the end of the alley, the woman turned, pulled out her Shurikens and threw them at the guns. The weapons were split in half, spilling gunpowder and bullets on the ground. The police officers fumbled with the ruined guns, not noticing that the thief and sharp stars were gone.

"Phew. That was close. Leilani had better cure this cut. I better lay low for a while," the thief said quietly a few minutes later as she rested on a rooftop. "Maybe I can talk Strifer or Ken'ichi into going. Huh?"

A meteor was falling through the sky. It was heading for a small field just outside the town. Curiosity getting the better of her, the thief made her way quietly to the field.

She made it there with no encounters with the law, and was amazed to find a ship in the middle of the clearing.

"What the hell?" she whispered as she crept over to the ship. The interior was dark, and no movement was seen inside. A rustling in the tall grass behind her captured her attention. "Who…Who's there?"

"ROAR!" screamed a creature. It leaped out of the grass at her.

"EEK!" she screamed. The creature was walking slowly at her. More came out of the grass. "Shoo! Leave me alone!"

The monsters continued to stalk her. The thief walked slowly backwards, stopping as she backed into the ship. As she did, a door opened next to her. Three people, two men and a woman, stood ready to attack.

"Leave them to us," the woman said. Two large keys were in her hands. "We'll take care of them."

As the people jumped out and the door closed, one of the monsters leaped at the frightened woman. The thief pulled out two daggers and slashed at her attacker, making it disappear in a cloud of smoke.

"Or you could pull out twin daggers and help us," said the man holding a shield.

"Who are you, anyway?" the thief asked a couple of hours later. The monsters had refused to back down, and dozens more popped up at random points. The group was standing by a large bonfire that one of the men had lit.

"We're travelers from another world," explained the mage that had lit the fire. "Your world is in great danger. We're fighting monsters called Heartless. Those were the things that attacked us. They were first unleashed here, one thousand years ago. That was when this world was called Hollow Bastion."

"This world hasn't been called that since our leader died one… thousand… years… ago…" the thief trailed off. "He was killed in battle, and his cousin took over. He was overthrown, and the dynasty that's ruled for the past thousand years has been horrid."

"Ansem, perhaps?" the knight said quietly.

"Ansem… That name is familiar. We'll check my library," the thief said. She turned to the woman that was crouched by the fire. "Are you alright?"

"Hmm?" she moaned, turning from the fire to face them. She stood. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Let's go to your library. I'm Bergljot," she said, shaking the thief's hand.

"Anselm," said the mage.

"Doya," introduced the knight.

"I'm Yuffeth. Pleased to meet you all," smiled the thief.

She helped put out the fire and led her friends to her house. Little did Yuffeth know that this meeting would change her life… forever.

"This is it," Yuffeth said quietly. Before the group stood a shack that needed to be painted in the worst sort of way. The windows were boarded, and the door was nailed shut, leaving a space barely large enough for the group to step through. A large condemned sign was hung across the door.

"Don't you ever worry about a demolition crew coming and destroying this place?" Bergljot asked.

"No. The government puts these up all the time, but they never actually destroy the houses. Too much time and money involved. This way," Yuffeth directed as she slipped through the small hole in the door. It took five minutes each for the others to wiggle through.

"Come on," Yuffeth whispered as she walked to a rug in the floor. Upon lifting it, the newcomers saw… nothing. There was only the floor. Yuffeth pulled out a dagger and ran it along the floor in a rectangle. When she was back at the beginning, Yuffeth stuck the dagger under the rectangle and pried it up. She explained what she was doing as the group watched. "Nobody's here, so I have a harder time opening it. We have to put putty to hide the hole when we leave or come in. We all have a sword, dagger or pocketknife to slice the putty and get in. If somebody's home, they open the door for anyone arriving."

She pulled up the floor and told the group to jump in. After she was in, Yuffeth pulled the rug and door after her and spread putty through the cracks she made.

"Why so much defense?" Gwandoya asked. Yuffeth cringed at he question.

"All of us here are on the run. I'm a thief and ninja, Leilani is a healer and flower girl, and Strifer and Ken'ichi are fugitives. They've been trying to overthrow the law, as did their ancestors. In fact, all of our ancestors did. I was nearly captured today. If they found any of us, we'd suffer either a firing squad or being burned at the stake, whichever one the king thinks is more painful for us."

"We'll keep you safe," Bergljot promised. She began exploring the cavern. There were four beds in this room, along with a radio, lamp, computer, fridge, and table. There was also a heavy steel door at the other end of the room. "What's behind that door?"

"Our library," Yuffeth said. "But you can't tell anybody. These are the only books in the kingdom, save those in the castle."

She led the travelers to the door and pushed hard. The door gave way to a large library, full of shelves.

"Here's where we keep our history," Yuffeth smiled. "Here, _The Leaders of Our Past_. Ansem… Ansem… AHA! Here:

__

Ansem was the king of Hollow Bastion one thousand years ago.

He experimented with the darkness in people's hearts, thus creating

the Heartless. He began to thirst for power and left the world to pursue

others. He was killed in the year 2002 by Keyblade master Sora. For more

information, see The History of the Keyblades.

Keyblades… Those were what you were fighting with, weren't they?" Yuffeth asked Bergljot.

"Yes."

"So, you are the descendant of Sora?"

"Yuffeth!"

"Oh, shit," she whispered. The group turned to find two men and a woman standing in the doorway. The men ran at the trespassers and pinned them against the wall with their swords. The woman went up to Yuffeth to heal her shoulder and make sure she wasn't hurt otherwise.

"What are you doing here?" snapped the man with blond hair as he held his sword at Bergljot's throat.

"Yuffeth, you know better than to bring strangers here!" the brown-haired man said. His sword was pointed across the men's chests.

"They came from another world! They needed help!" Yuffeth cried.

"We want to help overthrow the government," Anselm whispered. This caught his captor's attention.

"How do you know about that?"

"Yuffeth told us," Bergljot explained. "We'll be willing to help, but you have to do something for us, too."

"What would that be?" the blond asked.

"Help us destroy the cause of the government's corruption," Gwandoya said.

"What do you mean?" the new woman asked.

"Ansem has returned. If he hadn't been killed one thousand years ago, his cousin wouldn't have taken over and he would not have been overthrown. The only reason Ansem was killed was because he created Heartless, monsters that have returned to destroy this world," Bergljot told them. "If you help us get rid of the Heartless, we'll help you get rid of the king."

"Fine," the brown haired man said. He and his partner lowered their weapons. "I'm Strifer. That's Ken'ichi and Leilani."

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Chapter 8! Yea! Okay people, I'm going to make yet another disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Hollow Bastion in any way, shape or form. Except the new name. Yeah. I would also like to say Muchas Gracias to Soul Vagabond and Mediciner, my two main reviewers. bows the bow of Yevon Keep an eye on the next few chapters; there'll be a part reminiscent of Final Fantasy VII. As for the invincible one, he should be arriving in the next four or five chapters.

In the near future: Sealing the birthplace of the Heartless, and a capture.

Shortly after: Return to Drummond, the deaths of loved ones, and an unexpected hiatus in the journey.

Thanks also to Robo, even though he keeps getting turned off. 


	10. The Arrest

****

Chapter IX

The Arrest

The group took three days to recuperate. They had barely gotten any rest, especially Gwandoya. During his rest, the newcomers explained what they were originally there for, what had happened so far, and the other two helped attack various government buildings, never killing a soul. Bergljot, Anselm and Gwandoya also found that Strifer and Ken'ichi weren't as strict, quiet or tough as they originally thought. Strifer and Ken'ichi always managed to find ways to make the others laugh, and were able to improvise or build off of what the other was doing.

"So the fighter and mage are deciding how to get out of the woods when a giant pops up in front of them," Strifer said during dinner on the third day. "The mage takes one look and bolts in the other direction. The fighter's all like 'Stand back mage! He shall sample my blade! No, dear friend, don't try to talk me out of it!' At this point, he finds that the mage has run off. 'Don't… you know, don't… try to use your magic to… instantly put an end to this battle or anything… please? Ah, nuts."

"And then he says, 'Okay, big, green and ugly! Prepare to face the wrath of my tiger-style sword technique!' And WHAM!" Ken'ichi continued, slamming a hand on the table for emphasis. "Down comes the giant's club on his head, knocking him halfway into the ground. 'Ack…Good…Preparation,' says the fighter. Meanwhile, the mage is running through the woods. After hearing the crash, he says, 'Hmm… I wonder what that thunderous earth-shaking noise was? Oh, well, I'm sure it wasn't very important.'"

"A little way ahead, a thief is hiding and whispers to himself, 'A lone, defenseless mage running through the woods like a scared little girl, eh? Time to go to work.' As the mage runs by, the thief steps out and trips the mage, knocking the wind out of him." Strifer explained. "The thief pulls out a sword and says, 'Your GP or your HP.' The mage replies, 'Man, that is so lame!'"

The group giggled. There was a comic that was in print before books were banned, called 8-Bit Theatre. They were about the adventures of a mage, knight and thief.

"Just after, the knight is out of the ground and is saying to the giant, 'I didn't want to have to do this, but you leave me no other choice… Gotta go!' and he runs off, leaving the giant in a state of confusion," Strifer continued.

"The mage is standing there, digging through his robes. 'Come on, cough up the gold, magic loser,' he threatens. 'Sure sure, just left me reach into my secretive mage-type robes and pull out… MY KNIFE!' cries the mage. The thief knocks it out of his hand, saying 'wrong move sparky.'" Ken'ichi smiled.

"'Ah, nuts.' The next thing you know, the fighter runs by and all you hear is 'RUN AWAY!' and the mage and fighter are both gone. A shadow falls over the-" Strifer stopped and sat perfectly still. Without moving any part of his body save his mouth, he explained why. "Somebody's upstairs."

Sure enough, as the group stilled and silenced, footsteps could be heard through the ceiling. A cracking noise was also heard as the trespassers chipped at the door.

"Shouldn't we hide?" whispered Leilani.

"Yeah. You guys go into the library. Yuffeth, you know where to go from there," Ken'ichi said. "Strifer and I will keep them busy."

"This way," Yuffeth signaled. The group slipped through the door and closed it as quietly as possible. As they did, they could hear the clashes of metal.

"Are you sure they'll be okay?" Bergljot asked, trembling.

"Yeah, they'll be fine. Ken'ichi's Buster sword and Strifer's Gunblade are nearly unstoppable, especially when put in the same battle," Leilani explained. "Yuffeth, where are we going?"

"Just stay quiet. There's a hidden door in the back. It's so well concealed that nobody can find it. There's another hidden door behind that room that leads to a tunnel. At the end of the tunnel is a ladder. We have to go up the ladder, lift the cover, and with luck water will rush in," Yuffeth explained quietly as she lead them through the library.

"What? How'll we get out then?" Anselm exclaimed.

"Shut up! The ladder can hold ten people at a time. We have to hold on tight. There's an air bubble behind the ladder, so if we all move there, we shouldn't drown. When the water rushes through, anyone tracking us will get caught up in it. Once the water settles, we can swim out. The exit is under the water near the field where I found you. We won't look too suspicious. People swim there all the time."

"Let's do it," Bergljot said as they opened the door.

"You two guys go first. You two are strong, so if anybody's guarding the tunnel, you can knock them around a bit. Strifer and Ken'ichi should take care of the ones behind us," Leilani whispered.

"This way! I hear voices!" came an unfamiliar voice from the library entrance.

"Oh, no…" Yuffeth gasped. She hissed in a voice that wasn't even a whisper, "Get in! Quick! Go the way I told you!"

No sooner did Gwandoya and Anselm slip through than the guard's shadows were thrown on the wall. Bergljot snapped the door shut, only to be trapped with the searchers.

"The three of you are under arrest for the bombing of various government facilities over the past five years. Lord Angra Mainyu has sentenced you to be put in front of a firing squad at oh-seven-hundred hours. If any of you attempt to escape, you will be shot on sight," the chief soldier said. He ordered his cronies to handcuff the 'criminals' and take them outside. "The books will be confiscated and burned as you are shot."

The prisoners were silent as they were led outside. Fortunately, nobody noticed the door being closed nor did they hear the discussion about it. Anselm and Gwandoya watched silently under the door as their strongest allies were taken away.

=============

"I guess we had it coming to us," Strifer whispered.

"Hiding books, defacing government property…" said Ken'ichi. "I'd say they have enough to shoot us."

The group had been in prison for about an hour. The men were in a cell next to the women's. Bergljot merely sat with her head in her hands.

"I'm so sorry Sora. I tried. I'll be joining you two soon," she sobbed. Yuffeth knelt next to her.

"Don't give up now," she whispered. "Your husband and brother escaped. They'll come help. I know they will."

"No. It's too late. Ten more hours and we're dead."

"Don't accept your death," Leilani whispered from the cell door. Bergljot stared at her as she turned.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Every planet has a Lifestream. When a person dies, the soul is released to the Lifestream. The soul then returns to a place called the Ifa Tree. The Ifa Tree filters the souls. Those who have accepted death or have been sent are allowed to pass on to the Farplane. If the soul never did one of those, it's either reborn into the body of an unborn child in a random world, or, if the will is strong enough, the soul recreates the body it was in before. At least, a version of the body. Some who have been sent, yet possessed a will strong enough not to accept death are left inside the Ifa Tree, sort of an eternal limbo until the soul is sent, accepts death, called back or grows strong enough to break free. It's a never-ending process. If you keep your will strong enough, you can never truly die."

"How do you know that?" Ken'ichi asked.

"Because… just over one-thousand years ago, I possessed a strong enough will not to die."

An awkward silence followed this even more awkward statement. Leilani stood against the wall exhaustedly.

"So, you died more than one-thousand years ago. Interesting," Strifer whispered. "How did you die?"

"I was praying for a way to defeat a demigod. I was traveling with a group that wished to destroy an evil that had the power to annihilate our world with a small, black stone and an impossibly large sword that only he could lift. He jumped down from above and stabbed me with that sword. The last thing I saw and heard before I took my last breath was the sword sticking through my stomach and him chuckling behind me. My name was Aeris then. Cloud Strife took my body to a pool of water to release my soul. My will was strong enough to continue living. When I returned, my name was Aerith, and Cloud had been so attached to my first self that he fell for her as he had for Aeris, as they were so alike. He never knew that we were truly the same person. After his death, I allowed myself to be killed. Each time I came back as a different person, yet the same. I returned as an abandoned baby, save the first time, and met with the descendants of my original friends at some point in my life. Cloud's descendants also felt a connection with me. I have allowed myself to be killed after I reach the age when I was originally put to death. The last time I returned was eighteen years ago. The memories from each life have been preserved in my mind for all of eternity."

"Cloud Strife?" Ken'ichi gasped. "He was my very great-grandfather."

"Yes," Leilani confirmed.

"So you mean, I was falling for a woman that my ancestors had the hots for? Gross," Ken'ichi gagged.

"I want to find the man who killed me. I want to see him once more before I die. I want to have a chance to defend myself against him. I want a fair fight. Once I challenge him, I can rest in peace," she whispered. "There are two marks that have never gone away, no matter what form I take."

"What are they?" Bergljot and Yuffeth asked together.

"These are one mark," Leilani said as she lowered the top half of her pink dress from her back. Two white wings were growing from her back. "The other one is this."

The whole group looked away. She had turned to show her front. Across her abdomen and still hidden lower back was a large gash. It was still scabbing over, blood spilling a little every once in a while. The injury had never truly gone. Leilani replaced her dress at her friend's obvious discomfort.

"We should sleep. Death is less painful if you're fully alert and awake. You're body becomes tense when you expect the injury to come."

The group lied on the beds provided and fell into uneasy slumbers. Bergljot remained awake for what felt like hours.

_At least the beds are comfortable,_ she thought. She began to cry silently. _I hope they come for us. If what I think has happened to my body truly has, I want to stay alive not just for my sake… but… for… the sake… of… _Bergljot fell asleep before the thought finished.

=============

__

"Well?"

"What?"

"Was your birthday happy?" Anselm is asking Bergljot.

"Yeah. Thanks."

They are lying in bed on the morning after Bergljot's fourteenth birthday.

"But if I got pregnant, you're paying for my abortion."

"Of course."

Anselm kisses Bergljot's cheek softly. They hear the door open downstairs.

"Hey! Where are you two? It's nine a.m.!"

"Gwandoya. Get dressed and pretend you're in here waking me up. If he asks, I was up late and over slept. Toss me those sweats," Anselm whispers.

Bergljot dresses and sits next to Anselm just as Gwandoya enters.

"What's this?"

=============

"Get your ass up!"

"Lord Angra Mainyu wishes to speak with you."

The two pushy guards dragged Bergljot out of bed and roughly stood her up straight. Looking at them, they wore hooded, black cloaks and no facial features were visible under the hood save shadow. The others were already awake and standing against the wall. Strifer and Ken'ichi had been moved to this cell, so Bergljot walked over to talk with them.

"Lord Angra Mainyu?"

"The leader of Itziar. This doesn't make sense. The Lord never shows his face to anyone," Strifer whispered. "What do you think Ken'ichi?"

"He must want to know who has been destroying his property," Ken'ichi replied simply as he leaned against the wall. "Why the hell did they have to take my sword?"

"They aren't that stupid," Yuffeth hissed.

"Silence, all of you!" called one of the guards. He glared at Bergljot evilly. "The lord will be arriving shortly. Don't try anything funny."

Bergljot watched him carefully. He seemed so familiar. It hit her like a mallet. On the night she had become engaged and looked at the picture, she had seen flashes of men in black cloaks. This was one of those men. He was a servant of Ansem's family.

"Presenting Lord Angra Mainyu!" called a guard from outside.

"Kneel before your master!" growled the guard inside the cell. He came up behind Bergljot and forced her down. Four other guards entered and did the same to the others.

"You may leave," came a voice from the hall.

"Stay kneeled," hissed the guards before they left. As soon as the guards were gone, another man entered.

"So this is the infamous SOUL VAGABOND, the scum that has been trying to overthrow me for years," laughed the man. The lord seemed to be in his forties or fifties. He had short silver hair and red eyes. He wore a cloak as the guards did, except his was red and more elegant, almost as a robe. "It was so easy to find you. You didn't expect my guards to be watching for you, did you?"

"You bastard," Strifer whispered. Angra Mainyu glared at him.

"Care to say that again, Strifer? Yes, I know all of your names. Your father was fool enough to steal birth certificates from the hospital, leaving his fingerprints all over the place, and then register you with the government. He was a brave man, and even easier to catch than you. I remember seeing your shocked face in the crowd as his head was placed on a stake on the edge of the village after he was beheaded. I did not expect you to follow his footsteps, especially after what I did to him. I believe you were present at the beheading, too," he looked at Bergljot. "But I do not know you."

Angra Mainyu came up close to Bergljot. She tucked her head to avoid gazing into those eyes, but he grabbed her chin roughly and jerked her head up. Bergljot squealed in pain.

"Hurts, does it not?" He stopped when he saw her eyes. "I know those eyes. You are the spawn of Sora, killer of the noblest of the family, Ansem."

"Ansem caused many to lose their homes. He was in no way noble. He was a son of a bitch, just as I understand you to be. Sora did a grand thing, killing him," she whispered angrily as she twisted her head out of his grasp.

"Humph. You are like Sora," he smiled. He laughed evilly and turned away. "Get up."

She did as she was told. Before anyone could react, he let out a strangled cry and scratched Bergljot in the face and punched her in the stomach.

"AH!" she screamed and fell to the floor. The others stayed frozen, as they knew they would be killed immediately if they moved. Blood dripped from Bergljot's face as she held a hand across her stomach. The lord grabbed her hair on the back of her head and pulled her head back so he could look at it.

"Such a pretty face, deformed by my hand. How unfortunate," he grinned evilly as she cringed in a mixture of pain and fear. He brought his face close to hers and kissed her on the lips. Unbeknownst to him, her hands were curling into fists. Although they didn't say it, the same thought passed through the group's heads: _Punch him… Punch him…_

As the lord began to get more physical, Bergljot lashed out and punched him as hard as she could. He let go of her and glared at her. Putting a hand up to his face, blood came away. Bergljot's engagement ring had slipped to her knuckle and slashed open his face. He punched her again, this time in the face.

"You," he hissed as she lay on the floor with her friends around her. He turned to leave. "Are the first to die."

"Sir!" called a guard from outside. "The books are gone."

"Good," called the lord from the cell.

"No, I mean they were gone when we got there."

"Find those books! Look in their belongings if you have to! Get rid of any book you find outside the castle. Search all the houses! Go! As for you, enjoy your last ten minutes alive," Angra Mainyu screamed. The tyrant glared at the prisoners and slammed the door as he left.

"Are you alright?" Leilani asked.

"I'll be okay," Bergljot whispered. She cringed as a few tears stung her cuts. "They're not coming. They would have been here by now."

"Bergljot," whispered Ken'ichi, giving her a hug. The group stayed locked in a hug for the next ten minutes, until a guard came to take them away.

=============

"Don't be so pushy," Bergljot hissed as the guard shoved her on to a platform in the field where they were to be shot. The others were lined up next to her.

Lord Angra Mainyu entered the field and stood in front of a throne off to the side of the field, followed by ten hooded men holding rifles. The group held their heads high as the men took their positions in front of them and Angra Mainyu began to speak. Villagers stood across the field from him and watched fearfully. A young boy and girl stood closest to Bergljot and stared up at her. Tears were in their eyes. Bergljot smiled softly at them. They seemed to be twins, and had black hair like hers and blue eyes with swirls of brown through them. A realization hit her. She wished to reach out and touch them, tell them that everything would be okay, but her hands were tied behind her back. She gazed at them with a loving look that she hadn't thought she would use for a while. She finally blinked, and they were gone. The dictator began speaking.

"Citizens of Itziar, welcome to the first deaths we have had in over ten years. These men and women are traitors to the government. They are sentenced to death for holding books, the attempted overthrowing of the government, thievery, and the bombings of government facilities. You have been forced to come here to discourage anyone from carrying on what they have started," he yelled as he sat. He turned to the captain of the guard. "You may take command."

"Firing Squad! Load your guns!"

The group loaded the guns as the prisoners stood still and prepared for the hits.

"Ready positions!"

Bergljot tensed and closed her eyes as tears fell down her face.

"Aim! FIRE!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WHEE! Chapter 9! Okay, I have a few disclaimers to make:

1- thanks to www.behindthename.com the site where I have found nearly all the names in this story.

2- I do not own Aeris, the way she died, the Lifestream, the Ifa Tree, or the Farplane.

3- The 8-Bit theatre referred to in the beginning of this chapter can be found at newgrounds.com; Final Fantasy fans should definitely check it out! Warning: the site is not appropriate for children under 13 (banners advertising internet/anime porn). I pre-apologize to anyone who goes to the site after reading this and gets in trouble.

4- Thanks to my very good friend and author Soul Vagabond for letting me use the name for the group.

So, what do ya'll think? Does anyone think that they will not make it? Raise your hands! random person raises hand Behold, my Mallet o' Understanding! whacks RP over the head and grins evilly (Those of you who haven't been reading Pearls Before Swine this week in the paper, you won't get it) Thank you for reading. Oh, and any guesses as to who those kids were? They actually weren't supposed to show up, but the idea popped in and I thought it was good. How about the Aeris/Leilani thing? Again random, but I thought it was good. I wanted to put a fight between SPOILER and either Leilani or Ken'ichi, and the idea generated.


	11. Escape

****

Chapter X

Escape

Bergljot prepared for the pain of the bullets, but it never came. There was a rumbling sound followed by a gun going off, but nobody was shot. The guards began to yell and shoot, but not at them. Slowly, Bergljot opened her eyes to find a strange scene in front of her. Anselm was on a motorcycle, sending the guards running. Gwandoya was in a truck behind him, all of their weapons in the back. While the guards were running around in confusion, Anselm sent lightning bolts at the ropes tying hands behind backs. He was slowed by a human wall gathering in front of him. Gwandoya approached the group.

"The four of you, hop on! I have your weapons! Bergljot, I can't fit you on here, but Anselm will be here in a second!" he called. The group jumped in swiftly and looked back at Bergljot. She nodded and drew her Keyblades, glad that she had the power to make them disappear when not in use. As a guard ran at her, she hit him upside the head with a blade. He was knocked out cold. She continued attacking the guards that came at her while Anselm tried to get at her.

"Run! Don't worry about me! Just go!" he screamed as he dodged a bullet.

"NO!" she cried.

A guard leapt at her, causing her to lose balance. Bergljot fell over, but was pulled up by a strong arm. A knife was at her throat.

"You will die by my hand," whispered Angra Mainyu. He was preparing to slice her skin when he was hit over the head by a staff.

"Get on," Anselm snapped. Bergljot climbed on behind him and wrapped an arm around his chest.

"No!" screeched a guard. He grabbed onto Bergljot and refused to let go.

"Get off of me!" she screamed back. Knocking his hood off, Bergljot was shocked to find that the creature had glowing red eyes with gold speckles in them. His skin was pitch-black and he had a red line for a mouth. She threw him aside bitterly and shook behind Anselm.

"Hold on tight," he whispered. He rode up a cliff that stood behind the ruler's throne and flew off of the edge as far as he could. They landed hard, but there was no way the guards, alive or not, would get to them.

"Thank you," Bergljot sobbed into her husband's back.

"Just do me a favor," he gasped. "Next time you decide to overthrow the government, don't get arrested."

===============

The group reunited at the site where Bergljot, Anselm and Gwandoya had crashed. The ship was still there, much to the surprise of the entire group.

"Where do we go from here?" Ken'ichi whispered. He and the other renegades had explained everything that had gone on since they were arrested and were now debating what to do next.

"I'm going to go get some food," Anselm said. He laid a hand on his wife's shoulder as he walked past. He had gotten pissed off at the fact that Angra Mainyu tried to rape her, but Anselm was angrier that he injured her. She was going to have a scar on her face the rest of her life. He went into the ship.

"I think… we should go into the castle," Bergljot suggested quietly. The group glared at her. They then bombarded her with yells of disagreement.

"Are you crazy?" Gwandoya snapped.

"After what just happened to us?" Yuffeth screeched.

"No way am I going into that hellhole," Ken'ichi shook his head.

"I ain't risking my neck again," Strifer yelled.

"I think it's a good idea," Leilani spoke up as the yelling slowed. The noise stopped completely when she said that. "We go in, get some books, and leave. There's bound to be something in the books. After today, that's the last place he'll think we'd go."

"You're right," Strifer agreed.

"I understand that when he goes to bed, he leaves the library locked. That would be the time to strike," Ken'ichi whispered.

"We can steal some cloaks from the guards, get the keys when he goes to bed, and look around while a couple of us stand guard," Yuffeth smiled.

"No. I'm not risking my life again," Gwandoya said in a final tone. "I have a wife and two kids. I want to be able to see them again."

"Then you can wait in the ship to get us out of there," Bergljot told him.

"I think we may want to head home soon anyway," Anselm called from the ship. "Gilda left a message for you, bro."

The group climbed into the ship and watched the video.

"Gwandoya. We need you to come home now. The Heartless are attacking. The spell is weakening. I fear we only have a few days at most. Please, come home. Ace and Alpha have come to live here. The Heartless already destroyed their home. Please, we need your help. The Heartless are getting stronger. We haven't much time left. They are almost in the house. Get ho-" the message was cut off. It seemed as though the Heartless had cut off the signal during transmission.

"Screw the books, I'm going home," growled Gwandoya as he prepared for liftoff.

"No! Take us to the library. We'll take a few minutes to look around and then we'll go home. I promise," Bergljot whispered.

"Fine, but only one hour."

===============

Gwandoya flew them reluctantly to the castle, where the group proceeded to steal cloaks from the first six guards they saw. After knocking them unconscious, the group slipped on the cloaks and walked into the castle. They could barely recognize each other, as the cloaks were large enough to hide them completely.

"You there!" Angra Mainyu called as they walked into the entrance. "One of you come to my chambers. I am weary, and wish to have company before I slumber."

They looked at each other, finally laying their hidden eyes on Bergljot. She reluctantly walked up to him. He led her to the bedroom as the rest of the group took their places at the library. Fortunately, Anselm's cloak contained a set of skeleton keys. They began to look around while Bergljot slowly walked upstairs with the ruler.

"Those renegades are a menace," he growled when he and Bergljot entered the room. "Don't you agree?"

"Yes, of course," Bergljot agreed, trying to deepen her voice and make it hiss.

"You sound strange. Are you sure nobody nailed you during the fight?"

"That trespasser threw me off of the bike before she escaped."

"I see," he said as he undressed and laid down on the bed. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

"Excuse me?" Bergljot was shocked.

"Get at the piano and play! She must have hit you hard."

"That she did," she whispered. She regretted never letting Kleidon, the keyboard player in the band, teach her piano. She played some keys.

"What the hell is that?" Angra Mainyu hissed. "Play the music in front of you!"

She looked at the sheet music and recalled as much from her music classes as possible. She began playing, messing up a little.

"Not perfect, but better," he sighed. "I want them destroyed. I want that woman, too. I hated to harm her, but as she has royal blood, she would make an ideal wife…"

"Royal blood?" she whispered as she stopped playing. No reply came. The lord was fast asleep. She quietly slipped out of the room and rushed to the library.

===============

"I think these are enough books," Leilani whispered. "He probably won't notice them missing."

"We hid your books in the ship, too. Let's check out those as well," Anselm said. They had abandoned their cloaks upon seeing that the library was empty.

"Hey, look at this," Ken'ichi hissed from the upper levels. "These are all about Sora."

"Grab those, too," Leilani ordered.

As Ken'ichi took the books, the library door was flung open.

"Get the hell back here!" Strifer called from the hall. A guard was dashing through the room.

"Take this!" Yuffeth cried. She flung a few Shurikens at the guard, pinning the sleeves to the wall. The guard moaned as Anselm walked up to it.

"What do you want?" he asked as he lowered the hood. "Bergljot!"

"I have something to tell you all."

"Later. That commotion summoned all the real guards!" Ken'ichi cried. Sure enough, guards were pouring in from the entrance and a hidden door behind an upstairs case. The group was pinned against the window.

"Heads up!" Strifer called. He turned to the window and pointed the Gunblade at it. The glass shattered as large bullets pelted it. Gwandoya flew up to the window as fast as he could and opened a hidden hatch in the top of the ship.

"Jump!" he called through a P.A. system in the ship.

"Let's go!" exclaimed Yuffeth. The group jumped, except for Bergljot. A guard grabbed her ankle as she prepared to flee.

"Just go, I'll be fine!" she screamed as she fought the creature.

"Thundaga!" Anselm cried, sending the bolts everywhere he could.

"Anselm, below!" Leilani said.

The plants in the stone courtyard below had caught fire from the bolts. The guard let go, but Bergljot, still pulling her leg free, slipped out of the window.

"Bergljot!" the group cried. She fell upside down towards the ground, eyes closed and surprisingly calm. She fell at such a great speed that she fell through both the flames and the platform they were on. She finally hit water.

"Gwandoya, get us down there, now!" Anselm screeched. His brother did so to find that Bergljot was not there.

"Where are you?" Anselm called as loud as he could.

"Up here!" replied Bergljot. She had managed to climb up one of the stones and was halfway across the courtyard. She hadn't seen them come, nor had they seen her climb.

"There she is! Get her!" called the guards.

"Bring the ship over here!" she called as she ran to the edge. Not even the fire stopped her. Running as hard as she could, Bergljot leapt from the platform.

"I got you!" Anselm said as she barely made it onto the ship. He caught her and kissed her gently. "Thank god you're okay."

"Gwandoya, take us to Ogden," she said as they walked into the control room a few minutes later.

"I thought you said we'd go home right after we finished here!" he snapped.

"I want to take Yuffeth, Leilani, Strifer and Ken'ichi there," she whispered. Bergljot turned to them as they stared at her. "The Maester will care for you. We'll need you when we go to the Final Sealing. Angra Mainyu will never find you there."

================

The group was pouring over the books in the map room. They had been traveling as fast as they could go, but were still at least twenty-four hours away from reaching Ogden. Yuffeth picked up a promising book and began to read.

"Listen to this:

__

To open Kingdom Hearts the first time,

Ansem needed the seven princesses of

heart. The first six were Snow White,

Aurora, Belle, Jasmine, Alice, and, finally,

Cinderella. The seventh was hard to find.

Her name was…"

"Who?" Bergljot snapped. Yuffeth refused to answer. Bergljot snatched the book and read for herself. She whispered the name slowly, as if trying it for the first time. "Kairi…"

"It does not say…" Anselm trailed off as he read the name.

"So that's what he meant by royal blood," Bergljot whispered.

"What do you mean?" Leilani asked.

"In Angra Mainyu's bedroom, he said that he wanted the renegades dead and me as his wife. I think he said, 'as she has royal blood, she would make an ideal wife.'"

"Well, your highness," Ken'ichi bowed jokingly. "I think you deserve a standing ovation for that miraculous escape a few hours ago."

The group just glared as he and Strifer clapped fast, slowing as they noticed the glares.

"That's not funny," Bergljot hissed angrily. "Kairi was the only royal person in my family. I'm probably only one-twentieth royal by now. I'm in no way a princess."

"Sorry," they said quietly. Leilani picked up a random book as the two jokers sat.

"What the hell?" she yelled.

"What happened to you being the quiet one?" Anselm asked.

"I think I know where to find him."

"The one who killed you?" Bergljot walked over to her. "Riku wrote this."

Leilani had picked up a diary that Riku kept from the first adventure until his death. The page read:

__

July 26, 2037

Well, five years have passed since Sora and Kairi's deaths. I have been leading the people well, just as he instructed. His son will be old enough to take over next year. He is as strong as Sora once was. He shall be an excellent ruler.

There was a killing today. A fool of a man went into the islands. At the trial, he confessed to finding a chronologically frozen body in the Heat Wave Desert here on Drummond. He claims to have hid it in a special place. There is a waterfall near the entrance, and drawings on the walls in the cave. One looked like Kairi and Sora offering a paopu to each other. I remember those pictures. Kairi showed them to me right before we… Anyway, he explained that there was a door near the pictures, beyond which was the man. For entering forbidden ground, I sentenced him to be poisoned. He looked at me pleadingly and told me to record this for the next Keyblade master.

Despite this death, life has been allowed to flourish. My daughter Spuria was wed to Goofy's son, Maxwell, early this month. I have just learned that she is to have a baby next April. The people are rejoicing. They still do not know that she is illegitimate. They still think she is Sora's. I pray that she does not come to the same end as her mother.

I fear that I shall not live much longer. This may be my last entry. I hope that the next master can free the people of the dark.

RIKU

"So the invincible one is hidden on Destiny Islands," Anselm whispered as he finished reading.

"That's what Sora and Kairi meant. Destiny Islands are 'closer to home than we think,'" Bergljot said. She turned the page. The book was filled to the very last page. She turned it back. "Riku wasn't a very good psychic, I'll tell you that."

"You all mind if I look, too?" Gwandoya asked as he entered. He picked up the book from a disagreeing Bergljot and began to read the entry.

"Doya?" she gasped as he finished reading. He was pale and stone-faced. He glared at Bergljot.

"Did you know before?"

"Yes. Sora and Kairi told me when I went to the Farplane. They warned me not to tell you. I didn't want to hide it. Please, you have to believe me," she pleaded as he threw the book down and stalked away. Bergljot stood and followed.

Just outside the door, she took hold of his shoulder.

"Doya, I'm sorry! Ouch!" she squealed as he turned and slapped her. Without a word, he returned to the cockpit.

===============

"There's Ogden," Bergljot whispered as they approached the next day. Gwandoya still was not speaking directly to her unless he had to. Bergljot glanced at him and turned to the travelers. "We'll be landing soon. You may want to sit down."

Ten minutes later, the group was climbing out of the ship and heading for the Maester's home.

"This looks like a tree," Ken'ichi whispered.

"Yeah, but wait until you see the inside," Bergljot smiled.

Renatus was sitting outside her manor, a small flute-like instrument held to her lips. She was playing a slow, beautiful song.

"Hello, Maester," Bergljot bowed as she approached. Renatus looked up and in doing so played a sour note.

"Welcome," she bowed in return.

"That's a beautiful song," Leilani exclaimed. "What is it?"

"Its called 'Eternity.' I love playing this, 'To Zanarkand,' and 'One-Thousand Words' on this ocarina," she explained. She held out the instrument. It was made of lightweight clay, painted light green, and was adorned with a picture of Seymour's staff head. "It's not time for the Final Sealing already, is it?"

"No, we need a favor," Anselm explained.

The next hour was spent telling Renatus what was going on, why they had to return home, and that they would return as soon as possible.

"I would gladly help you out," Renatus said finally. "The people will be pleased to see visitors again."

"Thank you ma'am," Strifer bowed clumsily.

"Don't bother. A close friend of Bergljot's is a close friend of mine, and I don't require close friends to bow in my presence."

"Still, thank you," Yuffeth smiled.

"We will return as soon as possible. May I visit the Farplane?" Gwandoya asked.

"Of course."

Gwandoya slunk out of the room, shooting a glance at Bergljot as he did.

"I'll join you," Anselm said hurriedly. He turned to Bergljot and whispered, "I won't let him out of my sights."

"Bergljot?" Renatus began to shake her. "I found this near the Keyhole the other day. I thought maybe you could use it."

Renatus reached into a drawer and pulled out a scroll. She handed it to Bergljot who proceeded to unroll it.

"One-Winged Angel Reborn…" She whispered the title at the top. She continued to read until she came to a word she had never seen before. "Sephiroth…"

"Sephiroth!" Leilani, Yuffeth, and Ken'ichi exclaimed together.

"He's the one who killed Leilani," Ken'ichi whispered.

"This must be the spell to revive him," Yuffeth gasped.

"That does it," Bergljot said finally. She rolled up the scroll and tucked it into her pocket. "When we get to Drummond, I'm going after him. I'll bring him back here with me. Leilani, you can have your battle with him."

"Yes," Leilani sighed. Her wings twitched agitatedly. As everyone now knew about her past, she had abandoned attempts at hiding them on the way to Ogden.

"I'll be taking that," hissed a voice from the door. The group turned to find what looked like a guard standing in the doorway.

"That voice… Stand back!" Bergljot called. She turned to the intruder. "There's no way you're getting this, Ansem!"

The man lowered his hood and glared at her with his orange eyes.

"That's what you think."

Ansem snapped his fingers. A troupe of the lizard-like Heartless attacked from nowhere.

"This way!" Renatus screamed. She opened a hidden door behind them and slipped through. The door closed behind the group.

"Why does everyone seem to have hidden doors now?" Bergljot half-smiled.

"This way," Renatus whispered. She led them through at least a dozen halls before they exited the tunnel. They reemerged just outside the Farplane. Anselm and Gwandoya were just walking out.

"I talked to Riku," Gwandoya said sadly.

"Ansem's here! Get ready!" hissed Strifer.

"To the Farplane!" Renatus yelled. Ansem came out of the manor as the group retreated.

"What do we do now?" Yuffeth moaned.

"We're trapped," Anselm gasped.

"Just where I want you," hissed Ansem from the entrance to the Farplane. "Now, face the wrath of Mukesh!"

A fireball fell from the blue sun. As it landed, the ground caught fire. When the fire went out, a large creature rose from the ashes.

"Have fun. I'll return for the incantation when he's through with you," Ansem laughed. The next minute, he was gone.

The creature was twice Renatus' height, with blood red skin and pitch-black wings on it's back. There were two horns on its head. The mouth was a slit with two fangs sticking out, the nose was merely two small holes, and a loincloth was wrapped around his middle. A large pitchfork rested in his hands. Mukesh let out a mournful cry as the Heartless symbol etched itself on his chest.

"Shit," Gwandoya gasped breathlessly.

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Okay people, I need your help. I need at least four more worlds for my people to visit. I already have:

1. The three visited already (Drummond, Itziar, and Ogden)

2. The world for the Final Sealing

3. A desert

4. A rainforest-like place (Amazonian women)

5. A world of monsters such as vampires (thanks to my buddy Daniel for that one!)

6. A world of animals like Ronso, chocobos, and whatever Red XIII/Nanaki's people are

7. Atlantis for underwater (Thanks Soul Vagabond!)

8. A world where nightmares come to life (Think Stephen King's IT… Pennywise! We all float down here! Mwahahaha! Sorry, sat down and watched the movie straight through for the first time this weekend and enjoyed scaring the pants off my friend)

Please, I'll take any ideas as long as they are reasonable! The only rules are that there must be at least one main ally, and the citizens must all be animals or _clothed_ people. _No nudity_.

One idea I'm considering (on behalf of my friend Chris) is a world ruled by machines. Would anyone want that in? Let me know.

Okay, just to get the people who have guessed off of my back, yes Bergljot is now pregnant. She doesn't find out until either the chapter after the next or the one after that, so stay off my back about it!

Anyway, thanks loads for the reviews!


	12. The Return of the Light Bringer

****

Chapter XI

The Return of the Light Bringer

"We can take this thing down," Strifer called. He charged with the Gunblade and prepared to slice him- and ran right past. Strifer stopped and froze in a fighting stance. Five seconds passed before anyone noticed that the monster's knee had been sliced open. Strifer ran back and did the same to the other leg. "See? He's going down!"

"Let's go!" cried Bergljot. Her allies drew their weapons in renewed confidence. As they did, all of their ancestors appeared in the Farplane. Sora and Kairi looked on nervously. Bergljot nodded to them and turned to strike Mukesh.

"ROAR!" Mukesh screeched. He flapped his wings and shot up into the air. As he came down, the group scattered.

"Blizzaga!" screamed Anselm in retaliation. Ice crystals shot out of the staff and pelted the demon.

"HISS!" the creature cried in pain. The icicles were melted when they hit his burning body, but still caused injury.

"Aye!" screeched Yuffeth as she chucked a dozen Shurikens at the Heartless. She drew her daggers and leapt at him, managing to slice his abdomen several times before he realized what she was doing and escape.

"ARGH!" Ken'ichi screamed as he turned to strike Mukesh. Mukesh had just scratched Ken'ichi, causing a burning sensation in his back. Gwandoya joined him.

"Come on, power!" he cried and began to slam his shield into the monster. The fight continued in this fashion for what seemed like hours.

"Leilani, help!" Bergljot finally called as she dodged a blow and caused one. Leilani remained still, eyes closed, head bowed, and hands clasped in front of her chest with her staff between them. She had not moved the entire time. Renatus shook her head and made her way to Mukesh.

"He's surrounded! Strike now, everybody!" she called. With one loud cry, the entire group, with the exception of Leilani, charged swiftly. Each managed several hits before the creature escaped and flew straight up into the air. His wings flapped clumsily as they had been torn in several places. He began to fly towards the exit.

"Don't let that thing escape!" Anselm yelled, but it was no use. The group was tired and could barely lift their weapons, much less run after the monster. At that moment, Leilani's head snapped up, her eyes white fire and face fixed into a scowl.

"He won't," she hissed as white fog and light escaped from her mouth. It was as though she was out in the snow. Her voice was quiet, but had a hiss hidden behind it. She flapped her wings and flew at the monster.

"Did you know she could fly with those?" Ken'ichi whispered to the group.

Leilani flew straight at the monster and pointed the staff horizontally at it. The small sphere in the staff glowed with the same white fire that was in her eyes and shot a beam of light at Mukesh. The light pierced and encased him. With one ear-piercing shriek that made even the dead shudder, the creature was released and disintegrated. Leilani remained hovering in the air for about a minute. With as much warning as when her eyes changed, Leilani blinked and was back to normal. She looked surprised and closed her eyes. With a sigh, she fainted and fell to the ground. The ancestors disappeared as Ken'ichi ran over to her.

"Leilani? Leilani, wake up," he gasped as he held her. The wound that Sephiroth had given her bled onto his hand. Her wings folded to their resting position as she relaxed and awoke.

"Ken'ichi…" she sighed quietly as she opened hers eyes a little. She stroked his face and immediately closed them again and fell back into the deep sleep.

"Come, we should return to the manor," Renatus said. She led the group out and, with a fleeting glance back, Bergljot looked to find Sora and Kairi. They were next to the exit in a flash, along with somebody Bergljot did not even know she had been thinking about. He and Sora stood on either side of Kairi. The young silver-haired man nodded and smiled at her. Bergljot smiled softly at him and nodded back.

"Thank you," she whispered as she left. "Riku."

===============

"What menaces," hissed Ansem from his hiding spot above the Farplane. The group was beginning to walk out. "They should not have come out alive. What's this?"

"We have to take Leilani to a doctor," the blond man said frantically. "She just turned freezing cold, and her hands are bleeding heavily."

"My companion, Gillespie, can heal her since the local doctor was killed by Heartless," the Maester said hurriedly. The group began to run back to the manor as Leilani's blood spattered the ground.

"I see my efforts were not completely in vain. No matter. I will have Sephiroth," he said quietly. He was gone in a flash.

===============

"She'll be okay," Gillespie told the group a few hours later. "The force of her staff attack was too much for her hands and cut not only the monster, but her as well. I do not think she has done that before. She became cold because the force had adverse effects on her. While the light was burning to Mukesh, it was causing her to become freezing cold. It took a little while to be noticeable. I laid her in a bed next to the fire to get her body temperature back up and remove any toxins that I may not have detected."

"May we see her?" Ken'ichi asked.

"Of course."

As the group entered, they became deathly quiet. The young woman's hair was loose, instead of the braided bangs and long ponytail she had before, and her clothes were draped over the foot of the bed. Leilani was breathing shakily, and she was wrapped up tightly. The fire was only about a yard from her bed, which sat on the floor. Her wings were folded under her back. One hand was lying by her side while the other rested on her chest. They were both heavily bandaged, but blood still seeped through. Ken'ichi, not wanting to get very emotional in front of his friends, slipped out of the room and sat on the steps outside the house. The rest left one by one, until Bergljot was the only one left.

_If he's as strong as they say, there's no way she can defeat Sephiroth…_ she thought. Bergljot walked over to Leilani and knelt.

"Hmm…" she moaned softly.

"Leilani," Bergljot whispered as she held Leilani's hand. "You'll be okay. I'll come back soon. You can have your battle and finally rest in peace. That's what you want, right?"

"Ugh," Leilani muttered. She was only slightly conscious.

"You'll be okay. I promise."

Leilani only remained silent. Bergljot felt as though she had to say something to make her feel better. Not thinking of anything else, she said the first thing that came to mind.

"I know… what it's like," she began slowly. "I know how it feels to hope for something, and never seem to get it. I know how you feel. I know the pain you're going through. No matter how painful, you can't give up. Believe me. I know."

_But how do I know?_

===============

"Well, we really should be going," Anselm said reluctantly as Bergljot came out of the room.

"You will be missed," Renatus nodded sadly. "First, let me know what channel your message system is on for the ship."

"Channel three," Gwandoya asked confusedly.

"I'll set one of my Commspheres to that channel."

"A what?" Bergljot got more confused each minute she spent on Ogden.

"Commsphere. They're blue spheres that sit on the ground and send video images to wherever you are. We can keep in touch that way," Renatus explained. "Hope to see you soon, whether on sphere or in person. Good luck."

The trio walked out quietly, boarded the ship, and waved good-bye as they took off into the universe.

===============

"I assume we'll be there by tomorrow," Bergljot whispered two hours later. Gwandoya was still avoiding her as much as possible.

"We would have been there yesterday if you hadn't had to go to that stupid library and take the others to Ogden," he growled irritably. "We could probably be there by late tonight or early tomorrow morning if you'd leave me the hell alone."

"Lay off, Gwandoya," Anselm hissed. He wrapped an arm around his wife and whispered into her ear, "I don't know about you, but he's getting on my damn nerves. Besides, I'm tired and I'm going to bed. I can't imagine how you feel."

"Let's go to bed. I'm extremely tired, but the strangest thing is that I have no reason to be," Bergljot whispered. She and her husband walked into the bedroom. She laid a hand on her abdomen and moaned a little.

"You okay?" Anselm asked.

"Yeah, just a little stomachache, I guess."

"Well, get some sleep. We don't want the savior to fall ill, do we?"

"Thanks," she whispered as she changed. Anselm watched her as he followed suit.

"Why did the last time literally have to be the last time before the light comes?"

"Because you didn't want me to have to go through the pain of both the Heartless and a pregnancy at the same time. Am I right?" she smiled as her husband lie down on the bed. She climbed in next to him and planted a soft kiss on his lips. "I love you."

"I love you, too. You'll feel better in the morning," Anselm said reassuringly. Bergljot rolled onto her side, facing away from her husband. He wrapped an arm around her, and whispered softly, "I will never let anyone tear us apart. He doesn't act like it much, but he feels the same."

Bergljot knew he was talking about Gwandoya. She merely shut her eyes tight, wrapped the blanket tighter around her, and snuggled up to Anselm. She soon fell asleep to thoughts, such as, _how could he be that worried about me? He hasn't liked me since this started. How am I supposed to believe what my love has told me? I wish something would happen to prove it to me…_

The proof she wished for was going to come sooner than she thought.

===============

__

"So, did you have a happy birthday?" Kleidon is asking.

Bergljot's group, Black Phoenix_, is sitting outside an ice cream parlor._

"Yeah, actually. Anselm gave me breakfast in bed and took me out to dinner."

"Didn't you have to spend the night there?" Zimri is smiling evilly.

"Yes," Bergljot answers slowly.

Wethika, the drummer, becomes wide-eyed and her jaw drops, revealing half-melted ice cream. She recovers and says slyly, "How is he?"

"What do you mean?"

"In the bedroom, how is he?" Wethika repeats.

"Gross! You know I'm not having sex with anyone until I become an adult!" Bergljot shrieks, spraying everyone with ice cream and causing other people to stare. One woman with a three-year-old gives them a dirty look as she rushes the child out. The group suppresses giggles as the child asks what having sex means.

"Yeah, but you do have a crush on him," Zimri is staring in disbelief and wiping the ice cream off of his face and hands.

"Don't tell me you stayed at his house for several nights and never took advantage," Kleidon smiles as he licks his ice cream cone. "You looked happier than usual when we picked you up this morning."

"Look, even if we did make love, which we didn't, why is it any of your business?"

"You're right," the group said together.

"I will tell you this," Bergljot whispers as the group leans in. "I saw him with his shirt off, and he has one hot_ body. And the tattoo on his chest! Woo!"_

===============

"Bergljot? Bergljot, wake up," a voice whispered.

"Who's there?" Bergljot moaned sleepily.

"Anselm. You've slept for nearly twelve hours. Get up, we're about to land and we need to buckle up."

"I'll be out in a minute."

SKREE! SKREE!

"Gwandoya, what's going on?" screamed Bergljot as she sat straight up in bed, suddenly wide-awake.

"We're being attacked again!" he said through the intercom. "Get up here now!"

Bergljot dressed while trying to get to the cockpit, but was still clumsily pulling on her boots when she ran in. Heartless ships were zooming around like flies, being smart enough not to get in the way of lasers.

"Sit down! If anything happens, we'll go to the map room."

"What happened? Why are they after us so suddenly?" Bergljot asked.

"They saw the ship and slipped out from behind a meteor," Anselm explained. "Fortunately, they're meant to stay in space. The ships are so flimsy, they have to reenter their own world. They were built specifically for space patrol only. Our atmosphere is too thick for them, so hopefully we'll lure them in and they'll burn up."

"Get ready, we're entering Drummond's atmosphere," Gwandoya said as he pointed the nose towards the planet.

"There they go," Bergljot said happily as she watched several ships fly past and disintegrate. By the time they reentered, all the ships were either gone or had wised up. "Let's go home."

===============

"Gwandoya, thank god you're okay," Gilda wrapped her arms around her husband. No sooner had the ship landed than she rushed out to greet them.

"Forget me, what about you? That distress call scared the shit out of me," Gwandoya held her in front of him.

"The Heartless came out and chased Zita while she was playing. She outran them, don't worry," Gilda said reassuringly as Gwandoya was about to snap. "I haven't let her go anywhere without me, Ace or Alpha since. The spell has also begun to weaken. They got onto the deck yesterday."

"Great," Bergljot nodded with a slight roll of her eyes. "I think we should go inside now."

As soon as Gwandoya stepped inside, he was knocked back out by what seemed to be a jet-black comet charging at him.

"Daddy!" Zita cried. Tears ran down her adorable face. "I thought you were killed."

"I will be if I don't get up."

"Zita, go get your brother and bring him to the kitchen so I can feed him," Gilda knelt next to her.

"Yes, momma," Zita muttered as she sulked away.

"So, what happened?" Gilda asked.

It took nearly two hours to recap everything from when they left until they returned. Gwandoya rarely said anything as he held his children on his lap, and Gilda rarely listened as she watched her husband. Anselm and Bergljot might as well have been talking to a box of rocks.

"…and then we returned here," Anselm finished.

"Sounds like you've been through a lot," Gilda said absent-mindedly. "Well, Ace and Alpha managed to make a home down in the basement. They probably won't be up here much. Gwandoya, can I talk to you upstairs for a little while?"

"Yeah, sure," Gwandoya agreed. He set his kids down and followed her out of the room.

"Are you two okay?" Zita asked.

"Yep, we're fine," Bergljot answered.

"Good, because I don't want to lose Mommy, Daddy, Omega _and_ you two."

"What do you mean?" Bergljot was shocked to hear anything like that come out of Zita's mouth. "None of us are going to die. Who told you that?"

"I had a dream last night," Zita said quietly. "I thought that because daddy's dreams come true, mine would, too. Mommy had her heart stolen, and Omega was injured so badly that he died. My heart was taken, too. I saw what happened after. Daddy had his heart removed and died. Auntie Bergljot, I didn't see why, but you were moaning and screaming a little. I heard heavy breathing, and Uncle Anselm, you wrote a letter to Ace and Alpha. All I could read was, 'Bergljot died from blood loss.' The rest was blurry. You killed yourself after you delivered it. I don't want any of you to die! Nobody should have to die!"

"Zita, come back! It's not safe out there!" Anselm called. It was too late. Zita had screamed those last two remarks and ran out the door.

"Just let her go," Bergljot whispered. "If I had a dream like that, I wouldn't want to stay here, either."

"Right."

Gilda and Gwandoya walked into the kitchen and were glaring daggers at each other.

"Are you two-" Anselm started.

"Just," Gilda began harshly. She quieted when she saw Omega still there. "Just let us be alone for awhile."

"Okay. Come on, Omega. Let's go play," Bergljot said.

"Put him to bed. It's getting late," Gwandoya said as he poured a cup of coffee. It spilled all over the floor.

"Okay," Anselm said quietly. He and his wife took Omega upstairs and tucked him in.

"I don't believe I'm so tired, even after I slept for half a day," Bergljot said quietly. She gazed at Omega. "I hope our son is as cute as him."

"Yeah," Anselm laid a hand on her shoulder. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to lie down."

"Me, too," Bergljot sighed. They stretched out on the floor next to the crib. "I won't fall asleep, you understand. I'll just rest my eyes for a minute."

"Uh huh," Anselm yawned in returned.

===============

"Don't you walk away from me!"

Bergljot's eyes snapped open. Gilda and Gwandoya were screaming at each other. They had been at it for at least an hour. Bergljot began to walk out of the bedroom and, upon looking at the clock, realized that she had fallen asleep. Omega was fast asleep in his crib, and Anselm was still lying on the floor near where she had dozed off. She crept out and laid down on the floor near the banister. She could just see over the edge.

"I'll go wherever I want!" Gwandoya yelled. He glared at Gilda. "Look, if I didn't have the ancestry I do, we wouldn't be in this mess! Well, guess what? I DO! So leave me the hell alone about it!"

"I don't care who your ancestors are, I don't want you going out there! Zita had a dream last night that you died, and I think it's going to come true! Please, stay here with us from now on!" Gilda begged.

"I said no, damn it! I have a job to do! The sooner we get out of here, the sooner I'll be back home!"

"The longer you're away, the more likely it is that you'll get killed!"

"I'm not going to take this shit right now," Gwandoya snapped finally. He stormed towards the stairs.

_CRAP!_ Bergljot thought as she panicked. She rolled quickly back into the shadows. Fortunately, he didn't look in her direction. Gwandoya strode into his bedroom and slammed the door. Bergljot slid back to her spy spot and glanced down to see Gilda sobbing uncontrollably. She sat down and held her head in her hands. Bergljot could hear her shaky voice.

"What have I done? Why did this have to happen to us? Why?"

Tears swelled in Bergljot's eyes to see her in such pain. Bergljot stood quietly, and, with a dirty look, glanced at the door.

_Insensitive jerk!_ She thought bitterly. _If you don't want to help, fine! If you think this is an obligation, go ahead and think that! Just don't take it out on your family anymore._

"Bergljot," Anselm whispered from behind her. "I heard them, too. Omega woke up and started crying. I couldn't get him to shut up. Try singing to him. By the way, welcome home, light bringer."

===============

"Hey, hey, hey," Bergljot whispered quietly. She picked up the squealing baby. "You've gained weight. Hush, little one."

Omega only screamed louder. Bergljot sat down in the rocking chair and rubbed his back soothingly. Dozens of songs ran through her mind, but none of them were really good for a baby. She finally decided on one that she had performed with the band and began to sing softly and slowly.

"Can't find the answers. I've been crawling on my knees. Looking for anything, to keep me from drowning," Bergljot sang. As she began to recall the words, she gradually got louder and more up to the tempo. "Promises have been turned to lies, can't even be honest inside. Now I'm running backward, watching my life wave me goodbye… Running blind, I'm running blind. Somebody help me see, I'm running blind."

Omega began to quiet at the sound of her voice. It wasn't the sweetest song in the worlds, but Bergljot's voice alone could sooth nearly any savage beast.

"Searching for nothing, wondering if I'll change. I'm trying everything, but everything still stays the same. I thought if I showed you I could fly, wouldn't need anyone by my side. Now I'm running backward, with broken wings, I know I'll die… Running blind, I'm running blind. Somebody help me see I'm running blind. Running blind. Running blind. Running blind."

The child had fallen asleep. Bergljot continued to sing as she stood carefully to put him down to sleep. Her voice quieted a little as she did so.

"I can't find the answers, I've been crawling on my knees. Looking for anything, to keep me from drowning, I'm running blind. Running blind, running blind. Running blind, running blind. Running blind, running blind. Running blind, running blind."

Bergljot wrapped the blanket around him as tight as she could.

"Good night, little one," Bergljot whispered as she turned on the baby monitor and closed the door silently.

===============

"Thanks for getting him to go to sleep last night," Gilda said the next morning. Omega was curled in her arm as she fed him his semi-solid baby food. "He rarely falls asleep with strangers around."

"It was no problem," Bergljot smiled. She sipped her tea quietly. Anselm and Gwandoya were speaking in hushed voices in the living room.

"I hope Ace sends Zita up soon."

"What?" Bergljot looked up nervously.

"Every once in a while Zita spends the night downstairs, but she's usually up here by now," Gilda looked somewhat confused.

"That's because she ran away last night."

"She WHAT?"

"Zita told Anselm and I about her dream last night and ran out. I don't know where she went," Bergljot whispered. Gilda began to panic.

"Gwandoya!" she screamed.

"What now?" he snapped irritably as he came in.

"Zita's missing. She ran away last-" Gilda stopped as an ear-piercing scream sounded outside. The next moment, Zita was shooting into the room and nearly ran into her father. She was caked with mud, and her hair was a mess.

"Heartless… right outside… jumped me this morning…" Zita panted heavily.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, I still need three worlds. Any ideas will be accepted as long as they follow the rules I posted in the previous chapter. I have a couple more disclaimers. The song Bergljot sings to Omega is _Running Blind_ by the rock group Godsmack. It's the first song on their album _The Other Side_. I found the lyrics on azlyrics.com, but if you visit, be warned of a lot of pop-ups. Thanks for reading so far, and keep sending in those reviews! They're much appreciated!


	13. Death and Life

****

Chapter XII

Death and Life

"There are so many," Bergljot whispered as she gazed out at the Heartless. Groups of Neo Heartless were gathering around the house. She drew the blades. "Let's go to work."

"Right. Gilda," Gwandoya turned to his wife. "Stay in the house with the kids. I don't want anything to happen to you three."

"Of course," she whispered sadly. The trio ventured out to what Gilda felt was certain doom.

"Force!" Anselm called once they left the house. The Heartless affected flattened, popped back up, and were promptly destroyed by Bergljot and Gwandoya. There were still dozens of Heartless.

"Keep your eyes peeled," Bergljot whispered. The trio attacked swiftly. "Ayah! Ha!"

"Take this!" Gwandoya called as he rammed a group of Heartless. They disappeared.

"Fire! Deep Freeze!" Anselm was screaming one spell after another. The shadows were blown apart, but there were still too many.

"AH!" Bergljot screeched. A Heartless came up and clawed her in the back, causing a two-inch deep gash.

"Heal Bergljot!" Anselm called at her cry.

"Thanks," she said as she turned on the monster.

"Bergljot, help!" Gwandoya was pinned against the wall of the house by a group consisting of no less than twenty Heartless. She ran up and slashed through all of them. "Thank you."

"No problem," Bergljot looked at him somewhat menacingly. As they fought side-by-side, Bergljot decided that it would be a good time to give him a piece of her mind. "I heard you and Gilda arguing last night."

"You eavesdropped?" Gwandoya took his anger out on a trio of creatures that snuck up on him.

"You know," Bergljot continued as she slashed through the enemies. She paused. She could hear Anselm, who was a short distance away, casting spell after spell. He couldn't hear the conversation. "You shouldn't take your anger out on your family. Your wife and kids didn't do anything wrong."

"Yeah? You think trying to keep me from saving all the worlds is right?"

"You're not saving the worlds alone. You're supposed to protect me. I'm the one with the blades and power to seal the door."

The two of them fought in silence for a few minutes as he pondered. Bergljot finally gazed at him sadly and spoke.

"When I was taken to the Farplane with Sora and Kairi, they told me not to feel any anger. No hate is to ever enter my heart. The Heartless feed off of that, and if I feel it, my heart will be taken and we'll all die. I think you should try not to feel any negative emotions, too. No frustration, anger, or hate. At least think about it."

"Hmm," Gwandoya mumbled as he stood still. During his paralysis, a Heartless leapt at him from above.

"Doya, look out!" Bergljot jumped and knocked him out of the way. She held her blades straight up and destroyed the shadow upon impact.

"Thanks, Bergljot," he whispered. A scream sounded from the house and the next moment, Gilda was running out with the two young children.

"Gwandoya, they're almost in the house!"

"Aeroga!" Anselm called. The house was wrapped in a whirlwind.

"I'm not going back in there," Gilda hissed.

"Fine, just stay hidden in a corner," Gwandoya instructed. Gilda did as she was told. There were no Heartless at the back of the house, so Gilda curled up near the edge so she could watch.

"Anselm, your back is bleeding badly," Gwandoya yelled.

"This should help, Anselm," Bergljot directed the spell at him.

"Behind you!" Anselm was looking at a large patrol behind Bergljot.

"Thanks. Take this!"

"Ah!" Gwandoya screamed as Heartless shot towards him.

Gilda turned away from the scene and held her kids close. They were trembling with fear.

"It's okay, you two. Daddy will be fine, don't worry. I wish I knew which song Bergljot sang to you last night, Omega."

The two of them calmed a little at the thought of Bergljot's voice. Omega was finally able to recall some sounds and memories associated with certain words. Bergljot's voice was one of those things. Gilda laid them behind the pile of firewood next to her. Gilda curled up even tighter. She covered her ears and shut her eyes, refusing to open either one.

=================

Gilda was startled by the flash in front of her. She opened her eyes slowly. The sky had begun to darken. Upon revealing her ears, she began to hear thunder.

"Gwandoya?" she called. Only thunder and lightning replied. The silence was surprisingly deafening. Zita and Omega were still by the log pile. Gilda stood slowly and walked to the front of the house, not seeing any sign of anyone, even Heartless. She had no idea how much time had passed. When she was halfway across the lawn, a voice startled her.

"Gilda?"

She turned to find Gwandoya standing in the doorway. Zita was also awake and approaching their mother. Gilda began to run to them, but stopped suddenly when a pool of black formed in front of her.

"BERGLJOT! ANSELM! Another Heartless! Get out here now!" he screamed as the creature rose. He tried to get out of the house, but the door was stuck. "Gilda, run!"

That wasn't going to work. With each step she took, the Heartless walked right in front of her. She tried to break into a sprint, but the monster was too fast. She finally stood very still. The Heartless looked at her curiously, as if trying to figure out her next move. Gilda began to cry a little. She knew what was about to happen.

"Gwandoya," she called. "I'm sorry about all I've done to you."

"What do you mean?" he replied.

"I only hope that you can forgive me, and you'll have an easier time with your mission now."

"Gilda? Gilda, NO!" Gwandoya was beginning to realize what was going on. He banged at the door as rain began to fall heavily.

"I love you," she whispered. Just as Gwandoya managed to break through, the Heartless leapt at Gilda. She didn't even try to fight. She let it grab onto her front and stick its claws through her flesh.

"Ugh," Gilda gasped. The Heartless removed the claws, and had her heart clutched in them. The heart shriveled and darkened. Another Heartless popped up out of it. The two creatures began to escape.

"NO!" Gwandoya screamed. The new creature ran after Zita, but the other stayed. Gwandoya plowed into it as he ran to Gilda. She collapsed into his arms.

"Anselm, you help Zita and I'll help Omega," Bergljot whispered from the porch. They had watched as the Heartless stole Gilda away.

"Will do," Anselm said as he ran off towards Zita and her attacker.

"Omega?" Bergljot hissed. She looked for what felt like hours.

She finally found him nestled and crying behind the woodpile. A Heartless was scratching at him, but had not taken his heart. Omega was jostling so much, the monster could not get a firm grip.

"Get your claws off of my nephew!" she screeched at it. The creature looked up to see two large blades prepared to hit him in the face. They did two nanoseconds later. "Omega, are you okay?"

She gently picked him up, but he was too far gone. She tried a healing spell, but the injuries were too many and too deep. She hugged him and whispered as he cried and drew his last breath.

"I'm so sorry, little one. I should have come to you sooner. At least you'll never be lonely or unhappy again," she then began to whisper, "Can't find the answers. I've been crawling on my knees. Looking for anything, to keep me from drowning. Promises have been turned to lies…"

=================

"Gilda, no," Gwandoya was sobbing heavily as he held his now late wife. "I should have gotten you inside as soon as the battle was over. This is all my fault."

"Gwandoya?" Anselm whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Zita… her heart was taken before I got to her. I'm sorry, but there was nothing I could do."

Gwandoya looked up at his brother. His eyes were badly swollen. Zita was laid next to him.

"Omega's gone, too," Bergljot whispered sadly as she approached. "A Heartless attacked him. He was too badly injured for the healing spell to work properly. I tried. I'm so sorry."

"Don't tell me that," Gwandoya yelled angrily. "Don't tell me that! My family can't all be gone!" He began to sob even harder and spoke quietly as his voice cracked. "This isn't fair."

"It never is," Anselm whispered as he knelt by his brother.

"You still have us," Bergljot whispered as she rubbed Gwandoya on the back. The three of them sat and cried for the entire length of the storm.

=================

The next day turned out to be just as rainy. Gwandoya had spent the previous evening preparing the bodies for burial and cried himself to sleep. When he woke up, he immediately began busying himself with preparing the plots.

"I feel so bad," Alpha whispered to Anselm as they watched Gwandoya dig three holes out back. Ace and Alpha had been watching yesterday's event from one of the basement windows, and Alpha decided to come up to give Gwandoya her sympathy.

"Yeah."

"Hey, is Bergljot gaining weight?" Alpha asked suddenly.

"I don't know. Why do you ask?" he replied, taken aback.

"She just looks a little bigger than when you guys left. Maybe its just muscle."

"What's just muscle?" Bergljot asked as she came downstairs.

"Nothing," Alpha said hurriedly. She was a tomboy, but Alpha was still a woman, and she knew how insulting it was to ask any woman about her weight gain.

"Anselm, I just cleaned out Gilda and the kid's things from the bedrooms. Should I do the bathrooms?"

"Wait until after the funeral."

"I don't want you there."

"Doya, why not? We loved them just as much as you did," Bergljot looked at him as he walked in, his entire body caked with earth.

"Get your tenses straight. Just because they're… dead… It doesn't mean I don't still love them. I should not have had to bury my children. They should have buried me," Gwandoya said sadly.

"Oh, I just remembered something. I'll be right back," Bergljot said happily. She ran back upstairs.

"What did she remember?" Gwandoya asked his brother.

"I don't know. I'm going to go get something to eat," Anselm replied. "I'll leave some for you when you decide to eat again."

"I'm not hungry."

"I said 'when,' not 'now.'"

"Doya," Alpha muttered. She wrapped her arms around him. "I'm so sorry. I saw everything yesterday. I wish there was something I could have done. If you need anything, let me know."

"Yeah," Gwandoya sighed. Alpha left as Bergljot returned. She was holding a black bundle.

"I found this in one of Gilda's drawers," she whispered. "There was a note in the pocket. It was addressed to me. It said that if anything happened to her, I was to give you this cloak. Gilda and the kids made it for you."

"Thanks," Gwandoya took the cloak and slid it on. It was jet-black leather, with a high collar and a zipper from the bottom hem to the top of the collar. The garment nearly reached the floor. The fit was big, but comfortable. He nodded and went outside to the burial plots. As Bergljot watched, she saw him pull a chain from his jeans pocket. He slid something off of his finger and put it on the chain. There were already two other gold objects on it, one of which seemed to have a gem in it. Gwandoya put the necklace that held his and Gilda's wedding rings and engagement ring on his neck. She walked away as he laid the bodies in the graves and knelt by them to say prayers and his final good byes.

=================

Two weeks passed between the funeral and any more unexpected turns of events. Gwandoya was still refusing to eat more than one mouthful during the day. The only thing keeping him alive was the fact that he was drinking water more than he ever had before. The cloak was getting a little larger on him each day. He spent nearly all of his time either sleeping or wrapped up in the rocker-recliner in the living room. He refused to take off his cloak, except to shower.

"Gwandoya, you've barely eaten for two whole weeks," Anselm complained one morning right after breakfast. He was stretched out on the couch and his brother was pouting in the chair as usual. Anselm had spent the entire meal trying to convince him to eat.

"This is my way of grieving. I did the same thing with mom and dad, you know that," he muttered.

"Yeah, but you only went a few days and they died a couple of years apart. This has been two weeks. _Two weeks._ Dos semanas. Please, as a friend and your brother, eat. When our parents died, you only needed enough strength to hold a job and support your family. Now you need strength to protect Bergljot. Please eat," Anselm begged.

"Fine. I'll eat at dinner tonight," Gwandoya agreed reluctantly.

"You better, or else I'll have to knock the shit out of you," Anselm threatened. He decided to change the subject. "Where's Bergljot anyway? She wasn't in bed when I got up. Actually, I haven't seen her since last night."

"She locked herself in the bathroom when I woke up. She asked to be alone, but her voice was shaky. You think she's sick?" Gwandoya looked at his brother.

"Could be. She had stomachache the night before we got back," Anselm nodded. "But then again, Alpha said Bergljot looks like she's gained weight. How can she have stomach flu and still gain weight?"

"I don't know. Women are strange. You realize our courtship lasted for three years and were married for ten? During all that time, I never really figured her out. I'd think I had her all mapped out, and Gilda would turn around and do something that would throw me off. Thirteen wonderful years," Gwandoya smiled at the memories. He was fingering his necklace gingerly.

"At least you have some things to remember her by," Anselm nodded at the necklace. "You have pictures and memories of the past thirteen years, and you two actually made two kids together. At least you got to experience those miracles. That should be enough to be proud of. If anything happened to Bergljot, I'd only have our rings. But then again, I still have my ring from my first marriage. We can't have children until after all this is over, and who knows what could happen between now and then."

"Yeah," Gwandoya said. "Hey Anselm?"

"Yep?"

"Thanks," Gwandoya whispered. "I could never talk about stuff like this with anyone but Gilda. Now that she's gone…"

"I know. It's hard," Anselm sighed.

A long silence followed. The two men looked at the top of the stairs as they heard a door open. Bergljot came downstairs slowly, her hand across her stomach. She sat down in the windowsill and gazed off into space. She was trembling.

"You okay?" Gwandoya looked at her, a concerned look on his face.

"Yeah," she said shakily. "I mean no. Maybe. I…"

"Bergljot?" Anselm walked over to her and laid a hand on her arm. "Is there a problem?"

"I was cleaning out Gilda's stuff in the bathroom. I found some unused pregnancy tests in there. I was going to keep them for after the mission, just in case."

"And?" Gwandoya pushed her to tell them.

"Well, I've been gaining weight, had cravings for the strangest foods, and I've had a lot of stomachaches. The amount of time and symptoms seemed to be about right, so this morning…" Bergljot began shaking more.

"So what?" Anselm began rubbing her back.

She began to cry.

"Oh, Anselm," she looked at him.

"Come on, tell us," the men pushed and, with a shaky, breathless voice and what seemed like a lot of difficulty, she told them the problem.

"The test was positive. I'm pregnant."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Poor Gwandoya... The saddest chapter yet... sniff. Okay, everybody. Remember what I said way back in chapter four, _The Gummi Ship_? That it's that shortest chapter? I lied. _This_ is the shortest chapter. I wrote it in two days with various additions and subtractions, so that's why it kinda stinks. If anybody cares. I know it's only been about three or four days since that last update, so I won't complain about the worlds. I recounted, and I only need one more world. I am accepting both of Mediciner's ideas and will most likely put in the machine world. Sorry I made you think it stunk! The dinosaur world _is_ a cool idea! So is the island! Oh, and for anyone who does not know Spanish, _dos semanas_ means two weeks if you couldn't figure it out. And send in those reviews! I only got one for the last chapter! And I think the one before that only got one, too!

**__**

Please note: I will probably be permanently removing this story from fanfiction.net sometime this summer. Soul Vagabond and I will be starting a fan-based Final Fantasy/Kingdom Hearts/possibly Star Ocean Website that will feature this story, fan art, and other fanworks during the next few months. I'll provide details (the last chapter posted before the removal, etc.; keep an eye on my profile for the address) at a later date.


	14. The Search and a Scary Dream

****

Chapter XIII

The Search and a Scary Dream

The men stared in silence and shock as tears fell down Bergljot's face.

"How did this happen?" Gwandoya asked, struggling to keep from yelling. He was obviously angry that the two of them had not listened to him and his worst fears were coming true.

"Well, the night you talked to Gilda on the ship, you know, right before we got to Itziar," Bergljot began. "I woke up and heard you two talking. I snuck into the corridor to listen and heard what you said about not making love to each other until the light comes. Anselm came and got me when you hung up, and we had sex while you were piloting. It was going to be the last time, and I didn't think that anything would happen…"

"Yeah, you didn't think," Gwandoya said angrily. "Why do you keep eavesdropping on me and going against everything I say? I'm the oldest one here. I thought we got it through your head when you were a student that you respect your elders. You're lucky Anselm didn't get you pregnant when you had sex with him at fourteen."

"How did you know about that?" Anselm whispered in a shocked voice. Bergljot was sitting there, jaw slightly dropped and eyes wide.

"You honestly think I'd believe that you overslept? You've never been late for anything with the exception of when you were born. Plus the fact that when I got to the house, it was to do laundry since our machine was broken, remember? I loaded yours after I finished mine and found you-know-what on your sheets."

"That was ten years ago!" Anselm snapped. Before his brother could speak, Anselm hurriedly changed the subject. "Bergljot, you're sure it wasn't a mistake?"

"Look," she pulled out the test from her pocket. It was clearly positive. "See? It's positive. And pregnancy tests are never wrong, even home ones."

"Bergljot," Anselm whispered. He wrapped his arms around her tightly. "You know this is bad?"

"Yeah, we can't travel to-" Bergljot stopped and looked at Gwandoya angrily. "Wait. Doya, you said that Gummi Ship radiation kills fetuses. Wouldn't that mean that this baby,"-she stood and pointed at her stomach. - "would be dead right now?"

"I lied. Okay? I lied," Gwandoya stood. "I hoped that maybe if you believed that, it would be a decent birth control until this is over."

"I'm only about a month and a half along," Bergljot whispered, deciding to drop the subject. "I did some figuring, and I should give birth in June. I think we should find Sephiroth before that. I'll need extra defense, since I won't be able to fight until the baby is born. I'll be laid up in bed for at least a few days afterwards, too. I'll go call Renatus and explain that we'll be postponed for a little while."

"What about the other worlds?" Gwandoya pointed out. Bergljot thought.

"I think we should tell Renatus to send out a universal news flash that if any worlds are invaded, they are to defend the planet as best they can until we get there," Anselm suggested.

"Good idea. I'll go tell her since I'm the cause of this mess," Bergljot said as she walked down to the basement to use Ace's transmitter.

===============

"So you see, we need you to send out a call to as many worlds as possible," Bergljot had just explained the situation to Renatus. She could see the runaways in the background reading. Most of the books had been left with them, save Riku's diary and the scroll Renatus gave them. Leilani was sitting there, too, hands bandage-free and looking as she did when they met. Yuffeth looked up, saw Bergljot in the sphere, and waved.

"I will do that," Renatus was smiling. "I know this is a bad time for you to get pregnant, but congratulations anyway."

"You're pregnant?" Yuffeth exclaimed as she ran over to the sphere. At the nod from Bergljot, she and her friends went ballistic. "Aw! Is it a boy or a girl?"

"I don't know," Bergljot confessed. "I took a home pregnancy test. I don't plan on going to a doctor. I don't want to chance being attacked. Even if I did, I want it to be a surprise."

"How far along?" Strifer asked happily.

"Roughly a month and a half," Bergljot said, shocked to see Strifer so excited.

"When are you due?" Leilani questioned.

"Sometime in June."

"I bet Doya and Anselm are proud, huh?" Ken'ichi grinned.

"Actually," Bergljot looked sad. "I think Anselm's pretty happy, but Doya's pissed. He thinks Ansem will get farther ahead if I'm pregnant."

"I see," Ken'ichi nodded. "You can't blame him for thinking that, though."

"I'll send your message tonight," Renatus agreed. She got up to leave. "I guess I'll go prepare the recording."

"You better keep us up to date!" Yuffeth was grinning like an idiot. "Send us a call every month!"

"I'll see what I can do," Bergljot laughed. "Oh, and Leilani?"

"Yes?"

"We're going to go retrieve Sephiroth soon. We'll bring him with us when we get you."  
"You better bring the baby, too," Strifer commanded.

"Unless you were enlisting Doya's wife as a babysitter," Ken'ichi corrected.

"You didn't hear me tell Renatus?" At the replies of shaking heads, she told them. "They were killed by Heartless the day after we got back here."

"Oh, no," Yuffeth gasped.

"On behalf of all of us, tell him we're sorry," Leilani instructed. "I thought I felt three heartless souls entering the Lifestream recently."

"I'll tell him," Bergljot said. "I'd better go. I'll talk to all of you soon."

"Be careful with Sephiroth," Strifer told her seriously.

"He's strong, but very evil. Chances are, he'll either kill you or challenge you to a fight," Ken'ichi warned her.

"A fight…" Bergljot pondered. She finally closed her eyes and nodded her head. "I'll be ready."

===============

"So, when do we leave?" Bergljot asked at dinner. They had spent the day planning to go after Sephiroth, but had not decided a day to leave.

"Next month, maybe," Gwandoya said thickly. Despite the fact that he swore he wasn't very hungry, Gwandoya was shoving as much food into his mouth at once as possible. He reached for another helping.

"Slow down, you've eaten three plates already," Bergljot looked at him sickeningly. "Anyway, I think we should leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Anselm repeated. "Are you sure?"

"The later we leave, the less likely it is I'll be able to fight if we come across anything dangerous. Ken'ichi told me that Sephiroth might challenge me. If I wait too long," Bergljot stood and stuck her arms in front of her. "I'll be about this big and trying to fight. I'd rather do it now."  
"Ha ha," Anselm laughed. "I'm sorry, but the image of you with that big of a stomach and trying to fight…"

"Shut up," she snapped, but she had to laugh, too.

"I think you should go to bed right after dinner. We'll need as much energy as possible. We'll leave before dawn and take a boat, just in case my lie about the radiation had some truth to it. I'm heading up now. Good night," Gwandoya said as he stood and left.

===============

"Aren't you coming to bed?" Anselm asked a short time later as he prepared for bed. Bergljot was standing in front of the mirror in her pajama bottoms. She hadn't put on her top yet, but was staring at her reflection instead. Turning sideways, she looked at her husband.

"You realize that in eight months, I actually will be out to here?" she asked in disbelief as she stretched her arms in front of her stomach. She slipped on her top and hugged Anselm. "I'm scared."

"What about?"

"I'm not so scared about the pregnancy itself. I'm worried about actually giving birth. I wish Gilda were here. I could use some advice from her. I'm mostly scared about the labor pain."

"You'll be fine. I wouldn't know since I'm not a woman, but I've heard that as long as you stay healthy during the pregnancy and breathe correctly when you're in labor, it doesn't hurt too bad."

"That makes me feel a little better."

"Let's get some sleep. We have a long journey ahead," Anselm said quietly as he led his wife to bed.

They fell asleep within half an hour. In the room next to them, however, Gwandoya was falling into an uneasy slumber.

===============

__

Where am I?

Gwandoya looks around sleepily. He is in a field at night. There is fog obscuring his vision, but he makes out Bergljot, who is standing a few feet away.

Bergljot? Gwandoya calls. She does not answer. He approaches her and lays a hand on her shoulder, only to have it go through.

Bergljot turns swiftly at the sound of rustling behind them. She walks through Gwandoya, who is shocked to see that her stomach is roughly the size of a globe. She looks at least seven months pregnant. A Heartless leaps out at her.

"Leave me alone," she hisses. The Keyblades are drawn, and she begins to fight the monster.

No… Gwandoya is whispering.

The two have only been fighting a few minutes when Bergljot screams in pain and doubles over, using the blades for support. She begins breathing with difficulty.

She's in labor, Gwandoya realizes with shock.

Bergljot collapses on the ground and lays there, breathing heavily as the contraction continues to hit. She slides off her pants as more Heartless gather. Time seems to fast-forward. What feels like the next moment, Gwandoya is next to Bergljot.

"So this is what you bastards brought me here for," she gasps at the Heartless between breaths. "You bring me here early in the pregnancy, keep me healthy, and when I get huge induce labor. AHHH!" She screams, not knowing that Gwandoya is watching as a boy is born. No sooner is the baby out and Bergljot manages to find a blade to cut the cord, when the Heartless jump on the wailing newborn.

"NO!" Bergljot screams. She begins to cry. After the baby is devoured, the Heartless turn on the mother.

"No! There's another! Wait! NO!" Bergljot screams as loud and high-pitched as she can, but the Heartless smother her screaming form the next moment.

No… Gwandoya yells. NOOOOOOO!

He fades as the Heartless disperse to reveal a bloodied corpse and two orange eyes hovering over the body.

===============

"BERGLJOT!"

Footsteps sounded in the hall as Gwandoya sat straight up. He was shaking horribly, tears flowing down his cheeks and sweat dripping from every part of his body. His heart raced as Anselm swung the door open.

"Are you okay?" Anselm asked.

"DON'T YOU LEAVE HER ALONE FOR A SECOND!" Gwandoya screeched when he realized Bergljot wasn't with him. No sooner were the words out of his mouth than Bergljot screamed in the next room.

"AH! Anselm!"

The two men ran in to find Bergljot crouched behind the door and a Heartless scratching at the window.

"Thundaga Heartless!" Anselm screamed. Lightning bolts shot at the creature outside and it exploded in black smoke.

"Are you alright?" Anselm asked as he knelt by her.

"Yeah. I was lying in bed waiting for you to get back, and that thing leapt at the window," Bergljot explained shakily.

"I know what it wanted to do," Gwandoya said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Bergljot asked.

"I had a nightmare," he said shakily. He explained the dream quickly, as if trying to erase it from his mind as quickly as possible. As he finished, he looked at his brother. "Anselm was nowhere in the dream. "Don't let her out of your sights for a second. The results will be disastrous if you do."

"Right. Bergljot, if you need to go anywhere, let me know and I'll be there with you."

"Got it. The baby… was it a boy or girl?" Bergljot whispered.

"It was a boy, but that may not be what you're carrying," Gwandoya answered.

"Thanks. Well, I'm going back to bed," Anselm said. "Good night."

===============

"Food?" Bergljot read off the checklist.

"Check," Anselm replied as he searched his pack. "Is that everything?"

"Looks like it," Bergljot confirmed.

"Let's go. I want to get to the dock as soon as possible to get a boat," Gwandoya said as he slipped on his pack of supplies. It was just before the crack of dawn, but the group had already been up for three hours preparing. Anselm and Bergljot slipped on their packs and joined Gwandoya on the porch. Ace and Alpha were staying to guard the house.

"Remember how to cast Aeroga?" Anselm asked Alpha as they began to depart.

"Yes," Alpha said exasperatedly. "Don't worry, everything will be fine."

"Ready guys?" Bergljot asked as she stepped onto the grass.

"As we'll ever be," Gwandoya looked at his house sadly. "If I find one piece of wood out of place or the graves have been messed with, I'm knocking the crap out of both of you."

The trio left under fading cover of darkness, running as fast as they could.

===============

"Please, we need a ship," Gwandoya begged when they got to the docks. They had run along the river going east from the lake to the ocean. They had made the trip in about seven hours, stopping only to eat. Several Heartless attempted to bar their path, but they were taken care of easily. Once they got to the docks however, the captain was being more difficult than any Heartless they had met yet.

"Sorry, but yer not gettin' a ship without a license," he growled in his heavy pirate-like voice.

"Look, we need a ship immediately," Bergljot snapped. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pouch, jingling with munny. She shoved it towards him. "Maybe this will change your mind."

"Well, that be a different story. Come 'ere, I'll git ye settled with yer ship," he smiled as he took the munny. Six teeth were missing. He led them onto the dock and stopped in front of a decent-sized fishing boat. "This be yer boat. There're four beds and a small mess room. Come into me office and we'll fill out the papers.

The captain then took them into a large ship filled with maps, charts, and boat rental reports. He sat on a stool and pulled out a pad of papers.

"Jes' sign on the dotted lines, and she's all yours," he grinned as Gwandoya read and signed the papers carefully. "How long ye plan on sailin'?"

"I don't know," Bergljot thought for a moment. It had just dawned on her that if the islands were too far away, they could be gone for a few months, maybe even until she was ready to give birth. Deciding not to think of that, she came up with a random time span. "A week, week and a half, maybe."

"Ah. Where be ya headin' that'll take that long?"

"Destiny Islands," Anselm blurted without thinking.

"Destiny Islands?" the captain gasped in shock. "Nobody gone there fer one-thousand years. Ye got a map?"

"No, actually," Gwandoya realized as he finished signing the papers. "You got one you can lend us?"

"Sure thin'," he said as he pulled a map off the wall. He spread it out on the table. "I'll show ye as much as I know. This be where we are. Sail a little way east 'n turn southwest. Keep goin' southwest 'til ye get to a wall. I don' know how ye plan on gettin' in, but good luck. Fortunately, there ain't been no guards fer years."

"Thank you," Bergljot smiled as the man rolled up the map and handed it to her. "We should be able to return the ship in about three weeks."

"Fine. What business be you headin' down there fer?"

"We're interested in the geography," Gwandoya said quickly, not giving Anselm the slightest amount of time to let their plan slip. "Well, I guess we'll be off now."

"I'll see ya in a few weeks."

The trio left the ship and headed for their boat. They took a few minutes to tour, put their packs away, and shoved off.

===============

The trip was going to take longer than they original thought. Within one week, no land was in sight at all. Bergljot stood on the bow, gazing out at the ocean.

"You know you could get seasick doing that?" Anselm pointed out as he joined her.

"I'm already sick," she whispered. Anselm slipped an arm around her shoulder.

"Don't think of it that way. This is a good thing. This is the best way to show Ansem how beautiful and powerful life and love are."

"Can I have a few minutes alone?" Bergljot said suddenly.

"Sure babe," Anselm said. He pecked her on the cheek and went to join his brother at the helm.

"I don't care what he says. This isn't good," she muttered, leaning against the railing. "Ah…"

Bergljot breathed in the sea air deeply. She had hardly left her quarters the entire trip. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. She began daydreaming about the baby. She thought about the children she saw before Angra Mainyu tried to kill her.

"I wonder if I'm actually carrying…" Bergljot whispered as she opened her eyes. She lay a hand on her stomach. "No, it couldn't be twins."

"Bergljot…"

"Huh?" She looked around to find the source of the voice, but nobody was on the deck with her.

"Bergljot…" the voice whispered again. A cloud of silver appeared on the other side of the ship. It took human form a few seconds later. Curiosity taking over, Bergljot walked over to the 'person.'

"Bergljot…"

"Yes?" she whispered back. The silver thing was taller than her, wore a long cloak, and had long hair. It also had a single wing on its right shoulder blade. "Hey, how did you get on here?"

"Humph. You seek what you see before you, yet do not see what you seek…"

"What… What's that supposed to mean?"

"You fight all that is hate, yet hate to fight…"

"Stop talking in riddles."

"Am I speaking riddles? Or are riddles all you can hear?"

"Knock it off!" she cried. The person stopped. After a few moments, it began to laugh softly.

"Ha ha ha ha ha. You will never be able to handle living with me. Give up. Turn around and go home…" the thing turned slowly, still whispering and a slight echo to its voice. "You will only gain my assistance by proving your power to me… Harm me severely… Only then will you be able to get me on your side and know you can destroy him…"

She got a glimpse of two green eyes before it turned into the cloud again and disappeared.

===============

Bergljot never said a word about the incident during her entire lifetime. It was nearly another month before they finally came across land. Surprisingly, nothing happened the entire time, save a short thunderstorm a week after the cloud formation appeared.

"We've been gone a long time," Bergljot said. She looked at the small calendar that the captain provided with the map. They had left one month and four days before. During that time, her stomach had grown quite a bit. She found that she couldn't tie her sweats quite as tight as she could before, and she had to stop wearing hip-huggers as they slightly slipped down once in a while. Anselm looked over her shoulder at the calendar.

"You're right. You realize that if we can't get in or find him soon enough, we may have to stay out here until-"

"I know," she said quietly. "I've been trying not to think about it."

"You know," Anselm whispered. "If he challenges us to a fight, I'll battle for you."

"No. I have to fight. I won't be able to help fight anything until late next June, maybe even July. I want to fight one more time."

"All hands on deck!" Gwandoya called down to them. "I think we're there!"

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So, how ya'll like it so far? Sephiroth should be revived next chapter. And just so you know, I think I have enough worlds now. Thanks everyone! And special thanks to Med for recommending me to other readers! I might not take the story off after all. I'm still deciding. I might also be putting another story for Final Fantasy X soon. Again, a work in progress and yet another 'blooper fic.'

Chapter 14: A battle with a Dungeons and Dragons monster, Sephiroth's revival, and one of the heroes is going to gagging noise in background die. Will Bergljot fall overboard and drown? Will Gwandoya commit suicide? Will Anselm be hit by his own spell? Will Sephiroth attempt to fly with his one wing and end up falling over a cliff to the pointy rocks below that'll tear open his flesh? Who will it be? Well, you'll find out in the next chapter, won't you?


	15. The Revival and a Friend's Stolen Heart

****

Chapter XIV

The Revival and a Friend's Stolen Heart

Before them stood a huge wall that stretched several miles to the east and west. There was mold growing on the stone and pieces crumbled and dropped into the ocean as they watched.

"You'd think they'd keep this thing in better condition if nobody was wanted in it," Bergljot said as they docked next to a large, unstable hole in the wall.

"At least we'll have an easy time getting in," Anselm smiled.

Gwandoya tied the ship to a secure rock and climbed out. There were several islands on the other side. Unfortunately, the one they wanted was in the middle.

"The ship has a rowboat that we can use. It should only be used for emergencies, but I think this is a good time as any," he muttered as he climbed back onto the ship to retrieve it. He was back a few minutes later, slapping the boat into the water.

"Let's go," Bergljot whispered, climbing into the boat.

The men got in and, after making sure nothing was watching them, began the trip to the island. Bergljot was amazed at the kinds of life there. Because humans hadn't invaded in nearly a thousand years, the Heartless disappeared (they much preferred human hearts to animals) and many new forms of life were able to thrive. On the way, they saw a wolf with bluish fur and an evil expression on it's face, a dog that disappeared when they blinked but reappeared elsewhere the next moment, a ten foot long green worm that smelled of carrion, what Bergljot swore was a centaur, a lion made of white energy, a woman who could become part of a tree (Gwandoya called it a dryad), a hyena-like creature that stood on two legs and carried an axe and shield, a small monster resembling a half-dog and half-reptile being eaten by a snake with the head of a woman, and a humanoid tiger. Creatures with webbed feet and hands periodically popped out of the water to see them, tridents held in their hands. There were also two sphinxes on one of the islands. Bergljot didn't choose to get a good look at them, as they were apparently preparing to mate. At the island before their destination, they also found a herd of…

"Unicorns!" Anselm exclaimed. They were the most beautiful creatures any of them had seen. They had brilliant white fur. As for the foals, they had golden fur. The horns were at least two feet long on the adults, but barely stubs on the young ones. Even Gwandoya found it hard to continue rowing. After a few minutes of gazing, the team was startled by several of the underwater creatures trying to over turn the boat. They hurried on reluctantly. Night had fallen long ago, a beautiful full moon guiding them. They finally came to the island.

"Well," Bergljot began. "This is it. No matter what happens, whether Sephiroth joins us or not, the three of us leave together. We don't let anyone or anything stop us from that."

"Right," both men nodded as they reached land. They were able to dock at the old one where Sora, Kairi and Riku used to leave their boats when they left the main island where they lived.

"You have the incantation, right?" Gwandoya asked Bergljot. At her reply, he turned to the waterfall a few yards away. "Let's go."

The three of them walked over to the falls quietly, not sure what creatures lurked on this island. Luckily, they made it with no problems. Until they actually reached the cave, that is.

"Fresh water," Bergljot gasped. She bent at the pool's edge. They had run out of fresh water the day before, and she was parched. As she cupped her hands in the water, she and her fellows were shocked to see a different face peering up at them.

"What's that?" Anselm asked as they backed away.

A tiny woman rose from the water, the liquid running off in sheets. She was practically nude, save a cloth wrap around her body. Unfortunately, it was made of a thin white fabric and wet, so it didn't help much. She had long, brown hair and pointed ears like an elf. Anselm and Gwandoya were taken aback by her beauty. She glared at them. They could almost read her mind: This is my pond, and you are not to drink from it or touch it in any way.

"I think they're called nymphs. Beautiful creatures," Gwandoya gasped. No sooner were the words out of his mouth than she lunged at them. Gwandoya pulled out his shield to block the attack, but it didn't help. The nymph grabbed the shield out of his hands and took it underwater with her. "Get back here!"

"Don't go after her. It's not worth it," Anselm called as Gwandoya threw off his cloak to dive after her.

"That's the only shield I've got!" he replied. The next moment, he was gone.

================

"He's been down there awhile," Bergljot whispered half an hour later. "Do you think something happened?"

"Nah, he's fine."

As he said that, his brother popped up out of the water.

"She's coming, but weak! Try to knock her unconscious!" He climbed out of the water as the nymph grabbed at him.

"Take this!" Bergljot cried as she hit her with the blades. She was stunned, but not for long. Anselm ran in front of her.

"Thundaga!" he called. The water was electrified, making her go limp in her place. She laid across the rocks, breathing lightly.

"Let's go after the bigger game now, shall we?" Gwandoya suggested as he slipped back on his cloak and put away his shield.

"First I want to get a fresh supply of water," Bergljot said as she knelt by the pool again. After they filled their bottles and pouches, then began again.

The group walked through the cave slowly. They came to a large room at the back. There were pictures all over the walls, including the ones of Sora and Kairi. Overlooking them, the trio came to what used to be the door to the world's heart. Since it was sealed one thousand years ago, it was now only another room in the cave.

"Ready?" Bergljot asked. The three of them took deep breaths and opened the door.

"Oh my god…" Gwandoya muttered as cold air overtook them.

The room was nothing special with the exception of a glass sarcophagus in the end of the room on a candle-lit altar. The coffin was large and frosted over. Bergljot approached carefully and wiped part of it off. She gazed at his face. His eyes were closed, and his hair was silver. His collar was black and reached his mouth. Feathers covered his shoulders and part of his body.

"Sephiroth…" she trailed off. The candles in the room went out at the sound of the name. "Anselm, can you light them again?"

"Fire," he whispered. The room was bathed in light again.

"Here's the incantation. Should I start?"

"Wait," Gwandoya stopped her as he looked at the scroll. "It calls for multiple people. Hold it here so we can read the other part."

"Okay," Bergljot muttered, taking a deep, calming breath. She began to read. "Now, under this full moon, I breath life into thee."

"Estuans Interius Ira Vehementi," the men recited together as she said her part. They continued reciting the parts in unison with her.

"Regain thy great strength, calling to you are we. Sephiroth! Sephiroth!" she continued. The last bit was said by all of them. She slowly spoke louder as she went on. "Arise from thy icy tomb, unsheathe the almighty Masamune. Slay thy foes, assist us I say! Sephiroth! Sephiroth! Rise up! Use thy strength! Thou art invincible! Prepare for battle! Thy power is incredible! Stretch thy limbs, let thy silver hair flow. Flap thy onyx wing, open thine eyes of green Mako. Sephiroth! Sephiroth! Bring forth thy cetra power, tell us of how the planet aches. Come with thy Ancient knowledge, arise now for our sakes! The winged one of the lower reaches. Arise for us! Thy time has come at last! Another force has challenged thou! Forget thy troubled past! Let thy blood course through thy veins! Be prepared to do whatever it may take! Take hold of Masamune, flex thy wing of power! Now is the time to awake!"

"Sephiroth!" the three of them yelled together. "Awake! All powerful! SEPHIROTH!"

The group sat there, staring at the coffin and breathing nervously.

"Maybe we did something wrong?" Gwandoya whispered after a few minutes.

Bergljot stood and walked over to the body. The case was still frosty, even the place she had revealed. Clearing it away again, she jumped back with a startled scream. As soon as she had wiped the glass clean, his eyes snapped open and his chest began rising and falling. Anselm carefully undid the latch and slowly opened the lid. Sephiroth wasted no time. He leapt out and pushed open the lid. He shoved Anselm to the floor and approached them.

"Who has brought me back?" he asked. His voice was surprisingly soft. It was, however, in no way kind. He looked at them. "Well?"

"I did," Bergljot stared at him bravely. They sized each other up for a few minutes. _He's bigger than I thought he'd be._ Bergljot thought.

He was at least six feet tall, and had long silver hair. He wore a cloak similar to Gwandoya's, except Sephiroth had a higher collar and no zipper. The jacket was held in place by a belt, the buckle adorned with two wings. His outfit was made entirely of leather save the suede gloves, and the top half of his cloak revealed his chest, stomach and a small shield protecting his abs. The gloves had red fins on them. Two reddish-brown belts were crossed over his front, and a single black wing stretched out from his right shoulder. Bergljot took a glance at his sword. Sephiroth noticed and held it across his body.

"You like Masamune? Eleven and a half feet long, and only I can handle it. Now, what business do you have that requires me?"

"Please, we need your help," Gwandoya said quietly. "You remember the Heartless, right?"

"No," Sephiroth replied automatically.

"They're creatures that steal people's hearts. They and their master have risen again, and we need your help to defeat them," Anselm explained.

"Why should I? You obviously don't know that for a long time now, I have been trying to destroy the planet. Why would I want to save it?"

"Because two people have been able to defeat you temporarily," Bergljot pointed out.

"Who?" Sephiroth looked at her suspiciously.

"Cloud Strife was one. You may not remember the other, but he was my very great grandfather. His name was Sora."

"Sora! Yes, I remember the little whelp. He wielded the giant keys."

"He was fighting the Heartless, and I now wield the Keyblades," Bergljot said bravely as she drew the blades. Sephiroth smiled slyly.

"I still have no reason to join you."

"Ansem is even stronger than you are," Gwandoya called. This made Sephiroth stop. "If he's not stopped, you won't have any worlds _to_ destroy."

"But why me?"

"You're the strongest man in all the worlds, and with you on our side, we can destroy him," Bergljot said, becoming calmer around him every moment.

"I'll make a deal with you. If you are as strong as Sora was, then you can at least make me weaken," Sephiroth began. "If you can, I will join you. If not, I will kill you all and destroy the worlds. How about it? A one-on-one match."

"No," Anselm answered for her. "She's pregnant. I won't let her fight."

"I accept," Bergljot said as she stepped forward. Anselm watched helplessly. "And no outside help for either of us at any point during the fight."

"Very well. Let's begin."

"Wind!" Bergljot called as Sephiroth walked slowly up to her. As soon as the spell was cast, he leapt at her and sliced at her stomach.

"Ha!" he called. Fortunately, the wind absorbed the cut.

Bergljot charged and sliced at him. As she did, he tried to hit her at the same time. The blades collided, causing a long standoff between them. After Bergljot's shield began to weaken, she rolled away from the man. They kept slashing at each other, never causing any blows. Bergljot kept renewing the shield as much as possible, but it still didn't help her energy. She tired quickly, but Sephiroth looked like he could go for hours. They fought vigorously for what seemed like several hours, although it was only one. Bergljot finally fell to her knees and had to use the blades to keep her from falling face first on the ground. Sephiroth stood over her, sword held as if to strike her. The whirlwind disappeared and she looked up at him.

"Go ahead. Kill me. But please, let my friends go."

The blade came down, but it was not on Bergljot. The blade landed next to her, and a hand reached down to her. Sephiroth had a somewhat kind expression on his face, looking more like he did before he found out his heritage and tried to destroy the world.

"I have never encountered anyone, especially a woman, who could fight as long and hard as you. You are indeed a formidable opponent. I will join you," he announced as Bergljot took his hand. He pulled her up and looked at her stomach. "You fought well for somebody who's supposed to be pregnant. Are you sure you are? You don't look like it."

"I'm only about two months along. I'm Bergljot. Nice to have you on our side," she smiled.

"I'm Anselm."

"I'm Gwandoya."

"Now let's go home," Bergljot said. "I hope you don't get seasick. We have about one month of sailing to complete."

The four of them walked out. The moon was on the other side of the sky, telling them that it had been at least a few hours. The nymph was gone, but they still skirted around the pool carefully.

"There's the boat," Gwandoya pointed. It was still there and in good shape, so the nymph had apparently not seen them arrive.

"We're sailing for one month in that?" Sephiroth asked.

"No, we have a ship just outside the archipelago. This is just what we used to get from the wall to the island," Bergljot explained.

"Wall?"

"You'll see," Anselm said as they climbed in the boat.

Gwandoya rowed faster than when they were going to retrieve Sephiroth. As they passed the island where they saw the unicorns, a terrible sight met their eyes instead.

"Leave them alone!" Bergljot called. A group of elves was attacking the herd. The elves had long, white hair, jet-black skin, and skin-tight clothing to match their skin. Their swords slashed through the unicorn's flesh easily. Not wanting all the unicorns to die off, Bergljot jumped off the boat and waded to the island. Her friends followed, save Gwandoya. He tried to find a place to anchor the boat before joining.

"Face my wrath!" Sephiroth cried. His sword slashed through three elves, all of which screamed in pain as they died.

"Fire!" Anselm called as several elves leapt at him. Gwandoya was chasing some away with his shield. There were surprisingly few elves, but the unicorns were still falling fast. Bergljot managed to defeat a couple of elves that were attacking a foal, but it didn't make it.

"Rest in peace, little one," she whispered. She slashed at as many elves as she could get to, not caring about the pain of their swords. The elves finally gave up and retreated after the long battle. Bergljot approached a dead adult and the little foal. "Help me get them on the boat."

"Why?" Sephiroth asked as he wiped his bloodstained sword on the grass.

"I want to use the skins for a cloak."

"Okay, if that's what you want," Anselm shrugged. It was difficult, but the group managed to get the two unicorns on board. They reached the ship with no incidences, but when they had boarded the ship and were about to leave, the wall began tumbling all at once.

"Get us out of here!" Bergljot screamed at Gwandoya when she realized what was happening.

"I'm trying! Give me a minute!"

They had barely started when the wall began dropping right next to them. As the wall crashed around and water sprayed up around them, Bergljot, Anselm and Sephiroth struggled to get to the cabins. Sephiroth slipped just as he reached it and began to fall over the edge.

"Sephiroth!" Bergljot called. She grabbed his hand, Anselm wrapped an arm around her waist, and they pulled Sephiroth into the cabins. They slammed the door shut behind them.

"Well, this has been an adventure so far," Sephiroth snapped sarcastically as he flapped his wing, trying to dry it off. "I'm going to get killed before I get a chance to help you."

"Get used to it. At least this is the last boat trip we'll need to take. We have to use a Gummi ship to get to the other worlds. That's a spaceship," Anselm replied, peeling off his shirt and wringing the water out. He looked at Bergljot, who sat on her bed sadly. "You okay?"

"I've escaped death more than I should have. Ansem could have killed me when we first met. I tried to commit suicide. I was almost killed in the battle to seal this world. The crash nearly ended my life. Seymour could have destroyed me. Angra Mainyu tried to shoot me and then slit my throat. The battle at the Farplane nearly killed all of us. I was almost killed in the battle we had," she whispered as she looked at Sephiroth. He turned away as if he was embarrassed. "I want this to end. I don't think I can survive another close call."

"We'll make it," Anselm said reassuringly as he wrapped an arm around her. The ship had stopped shaking like it was. "I think we're clear of the wall. Let's go up and talk to Gwandoya."

================

The trip seemed shorter, although it took the same amount of time as going to the islands. Bergljot was able to skin the unicorns and sew a hooded cape. It was white, but had gold trim around every opening. She made a cord for the frog to keep the garment closed. She still had a lot of fur left, so she was able to make two baby blankets: one white, one gold. Her stomach was getting larger every day. By the time they returned, she couldn't wear her skin-tight shirts anymore, as they only covered about three-quarters of her stomach. The captain didn't acknowledge the difference or the fact that they had one more passenger, but he was happy to see them with the ship intact.

"Thank ye very much. I hope ye had a nice trip."

"Actually, yes," Bergljot said quietly. "We were able to see a lot of creatures and kinds of land."

"Well, thank ye fer renting from me little service. Hope to see ye 'gain."

================

The foursome traveled to the house slowly. They didn't want to cause any suspicions or attacks with Sephiroth. They were about three miles from the house when a group of Heartless attacked. The heroes saw the creatures first, but they still stayed in the bushes. The Heartless were in a small clearing in front of them. Unfortunately, the monsters caught the scents of the people. They couldn't find them.

"What are they doing?" Bergljot whispered.

"They're waiting for a heart to make itself known," Gwandoya muttered. He nodded.

"What are you doing?" Sephiroth asked as Gwandoya stood. The group stared at him.

"When they become busy with me, run for the house."

"Gwandoya, no," Anselm whispered as he realized what was going in.

"Why can't we just wait for them to leave?" Bergljot asked pleadingly.

"They won't leave until they have a heart," Gwandoya replied, laying a hand over his own heart. "I won't let any of you pay that price."

"No! Please, you have to stay with us!" Bergljot sobbed as she grabbed his arm. She had begun to cry.

"Bergljot. I promised to protect you," he said softly to her. He stroked her face. "I intend to fulfill that promise, even if it means my life."

"No," she whispered through her tears.

"Hey. I love you," he kissed her softly on the forehead. "Sister."

Bergljot looked up at him in shock. He smiled sadly, stood, and walked into the clearing as he drew his shield.

"You bastards killed my family!" he called, catching their attention. "If you want my sister, you have to go through me first! Come and get me!"

The Heartless charged swiftly. He was able to hold them off for several minutes, allowing the others to slide around the edge of the area. They had just reached the other side when Bergljot turned to watch him.

"Run," she whispered as Anselm and Sephiroth knelt by her. "Run to us."

Gwandoya turned to a monster next to him and destroyed it. The price was leaving his body open to attack.

"NO!" Anselm and Bergljot screamed together.

"Uh…" Gwandoya gasped, a look of shock on his face. A Heartless latched onto his chest and stuck its claws straight through his chest, his heart clasped in them. The Heartless pulled it out, dropped it, and ran away with its fellows. Gwandoya stood in shock for a few seconds, but finally fell backwards, collapsing in a heap. The three remaining members left in tears (except Sephiroth) for the house. They never saw the body disappear. They never saw the black pool form, the yellow eyes staring after them.

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WAH! Not Gwandoya! I'm killing off my characters one by one, and proud of it! Not really…

Okay, for those of you unfamiliar with Dungeons and Dragons, the creatures they saw, in order, were: Barghest, Blink Dog, Carrion Crawler, Hellcat, Gnoll, Kobald, Spirit Naga (snake eating the Kobald), Rakshasa, Sahuagin, an androsphinx (one of three kinds of male sphinxes), a gynosphinx (only female version of sphinxes), and the elves were drow elves, the evil branch of the species. All of these creature can be found in the Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual, Version 3.5. Also, the Estuans Interius stuff is from Sephiroth's theme song, One Winged Angel. Give it a listen! it's good. I do not own the Latin in any way, shape or form. The line that says 'the winged one of the lower reaches' is a translation of a line in one version of the song (one has Gloriosa Generosa and the other is Haryu No Hanekata, which I used) and I do not own it, but I am the author of the rest of the english for the incantation, and have no problem with anyone using it as long as you give me credit.

Is everyone happy about Sephiroth? If you've never played Final Fantasy VII, you may not understand the line that says 'before he found out his heritage and tried to destroy the world.' It's a little too long to explain here, but I might post it on the (hopefully) soon-to-exist website of Soul Vagabond and myself. I hope that all of you will visit the site after it's up, whether I take this story off here or not.

READ AND REVIEW! PLEASE! I MUST HAVE REVIEWS TO CONTINUE!


	16. Flashbacks and Rebirth

****

Chapter XV

Flashbacks and Rebirth

"Gwandoya…" Bergljot whispered when they got into the house. She slumped into an armchair, wrapped her cape tightly around her and sobbed. "Why did he do that? He shouldn't have had to die."

"He did it to protect us," Anselm said, voice cracking and tears streaming down his face. "He really cared about all of us and wanted us to live so we could defeat Ansem. He knew that you were the one who had to live, not him."

"I still don't understand why he did it," Sephiroth whispered, gazing out the window at a gathering storm. "Why would one risk his own life to save another? There is no reason. We all die eventually. Why would one want to die sooner?"

"You've never felt love, have you?" Bergljot asked. Sephiroth stopped and tightly shut his eyes as if remembering a past pain. "Gwandoya sacrificed himself for us because he loved us. When you love somebody as much as Gwandoya did, you would do anything for that person. I know I would have done anything for him, if I had the chance. I almost died for Anselm shortly after we slept together the first time. Remember?"

"Yeah. I've never again been as scared as I was that day."

"What happened?" Sephiroth asked.

================

Bergljot walks into the studio. Classes are finished, and she is going to spend the day with Anselm. He is sitting in his office waiting for her.

"And how are you today?"

"Hey, sweetie," Anselm replies as Bergljot walks in. They walk into the workout area and sit on the floor.

"You look tired," Bergljot points out after they talk for a few minutes.

"Yeah, it's been a long day," he says. She begins to massage his back, then begin making out. They start getting more into it as somebody walks into the studio.

"Master Hammond!"

"Thanatos, what are you doing here?" Anselm says hurriedly as Bergljot rolls off of him.

"I suspected you were screwing one of your students. The way you look at each other. It's sick," Thanatos begins toying with them. He reaches into his jacket. "That is why this affair must end before she gets pregnant."

He pulls a revolver from his hidden pocket. Bergljot stares in fear as Anselm stands to face him.

"Shoot me if you want, but leave her alone."

"Anselm," Bergljot whispers. He looks at her sadly and mouths 'I love you.'

"Take your best shot," Anselm commands bravely, turning to face his attacker. The safety is disabled on the gun as it is pointed at Anselm. Bergljot loses it as the trigger is about to be pulled.

"ANSELM!" she screams. She pushes him out of the way as several rounds are fired upon him. They fall together, Anselm shocked to find blood on the floor and dripping on his stomach.

"Bergljot!" he cries. She is lying on the floor next to him, breathing with difficulty and holding her hands over her abdomen. Blood is pouring from between her fingers and onto the mats.

"Anselm…" she gasps.

"My god," Thanatos whispers as Anselm leans her against him and holds her hand. "I had no intentions of shooting her in the first place. I would never shoot anyone young. I'm terribly sorry. I still have one bullet left. I hope this makes you feel better."

"Ah," Anselm turns away as Thanatos sticks the barrel in his mouth and pulls the trigger. Blood spatters the walls as Thanatos falls to the floor in a heap.

"Bergljot?" Anselm mutters as Gwandoya walks in. He drops the box he is carrying and stares at the bloodied walls, floor and bodies.

"Shit! What the hell happened?"

"He's already dead. She's been shot, but she's still alive. Call an ambulance."

"Right," Gwandoya answers as he runs into the office to make the call.

"Bergljot, can you hear me?" Anselm asks.

"Yeah," Bergljot replies quietly.

"Why did you do that?" he sobs.

"Because I love you. People do crazy things when they're in love," she whispers. She smiles a little. "It doesn't even hurt anymore. It's just wet and cold. It's just a tingle, like it fell asleep. I don't feel any pain."

"Can you feel my hand?"

"Yes," she replies softly after a moment. Her eyes close and her breathing becomes shallower. "I can feel your tears on my lips, too."

"They'll be here any minute," Gwandoya says as he walks out of the office.

"Hear that? You're going to make it."

"No," Bergljot is speaking in what is barely a whisper. "I'm not."

"Yes, you are," he sobs as she falls unconscious. He hugs her as the sirens blare right outside. "Just hold on. Hold on… Hold on…"

"Hmm…" Bergljot moans. She opens her eyes slowly. The ceiling is a bright white, and a figure is sitting next to her. "Anselm?"

"Thank god, you're okay," he sobs as he wraps her into a bear hug. He lets go at a cry of pain from Bergljot. "Sorry."

His eyes are bloodshot, and he looks as though he has had no sleep in several days.

"What happened?"

"After you went unconscious, the paramedics put you into the ambulance. You've been out for four days."

"Oh, man."

"You almost didn't make it."

"Why?" she asks as she adjusts her hospital bed so she's sitting up.

"You lost a lot of blood. You needed seven pints. You're body couldn't reproduce the lost blood fast enough," he explains.

"I got the blood, right?"

"You almost didn't. Did you know you have a rare blood type? It's so rare, they didn't have any stored away."

"How did I-" Bergljot began. Realization hit as Anselm smiled.

"Yes. We have the same blood type. You have eight pints of my blood running through your veins. I asked if they could put one pint of your blood in me. I don't know what I was thinking at the time. I guess I want us to remain connected. Forever."

"My god. Thank you so much," Bergljot sobs as they hold each other.

"I'll never forget you," Anselm whispers into her ear as he kisses her neck.

"I'll never forget you, either, my love."

================

"That is amazing that you would do that for somebody," Sephiroth whispered in awe as she finished. "I have only felt that way about one person. After she died, I never loved again."

"Who was it?" Bergljot asked curiously.

"Her name was Kalliope. She had the most beautiful voice I have ever heard. We met before I became a member of SOLDIER. That was the army back when my world was the only one we knew of," he reminisced sadly. "She and I became very close. I cared for her so much, I asked her to marry me. My father… no, not father. My creator, Professor Hojo, did not want me to become soft. He wanted me to be strong, and he needed me for the Jenova Project. Jenova was my mother. Shortly after our engagement, Kalliope was asked to go to the lab to meet Hojo. He tried to inject Jenova cells into her. I learned from one of my creator's fellow scientists that he was going to try and kill her, and went in search of Hojo and my lover. I found him trying to inject more cells. I killed him."

"What happened to her?" Anselm asked, although he already knew the answer.

"The cells were too much for Kalliope's body to handle. It was too late for me to save her. She died in my arms mere minutes after Hojo's death. I was devastated. A few weeks later, I decided to stop crying over it. I chose to forget my past and never love again. I then became a member of SOLDIER."

"I'm sorry," Bergljot said, walking up behind him and giving him what seemed to be a much-needed hug. He shrugged her off.

"I do not need pity," he muttered. "Years after joining, I discovered who I was. I did not know about the Jenova Project before. I always thought that he injected poison or something into her. I tried everything to save her, but nothing worked. After I found who I was, I tried to find the Promised Land. I never found it. Cloud Strife defeated me temporarily, but I merely disappeared. He found me a few years later, after Hades summoned me. That was when I battled Sora. Cloud challenged me right after the fight. I was defeated. I was still alive, but very, very weak. He knocked me unconscious and sent me to be chronologically frozen by his friend, Cid. It seems I was put in that cave to wait for the day when I would be revived. I regained my strength since then."

"You also killed a woman named Aeris," Anselm pointed out. "You forgot that part."

"How did you know?" Sephiroth asked in shock.

"She's still alive. She goes by the name of Leilani and has been reborn for the past thousand years," Bergljot explained. "She wants to challenge you to a fair fight."

"Do you know why I killed her?"

"She told us that she had been praying for a way to defeat you when you stabbed her in the back," Anselm said simply.

"It wasn't just that," Sephiroth hesitated. "I was beginning to have feelings for her like the ones I had for Kalliope. I was scared of those feelings, so I eliminated the reason for those feelings. Kalliope… She was a lot like you, Bergljot."

"She was?"

"She looked a lot like you," Sephiroth smiled. "I don't suppose you can sing like she did?"

"I used to sing, but my band retired a year ago," Bergljot explained.

"Sing something," Sephiroth commanded.

"Yeah, I haven't heard you sing live since the last concert you played here," Anselm agreed.

"I will if I can think of anything," she told them.

"We'll wait," Sephiroth said, sitting on the sill and watching her.

"Let me think," Bergljot whispered. Several minutes passed. Sephiroth and Anselm finally got tired of waiting.

"I'm going to go fix dinner," Anselm announced. Sephiroth stood to leave the room. They both stopped when they heard Bergljot whispering.

"Ooh, ooh. Ooh, oh. Paper flowers. Ooh, ooh. Ooh, oh. Paper flowers," she sang louder and more passionately as she picked up her guitar and played. The two men sat slowly. Anselm sighed as he listened to her voice for the billionth time while Sephiroth listened in awe. "I linger in the doorway of alarm clocks screaming 'monsters coming my way.' Let me stay where the wind will whisper to me. Where the raindrops as they're falling tell a story. In my field of paper flowers and candy clouds of lullaby, I lie inside myself for hours and watch my purple sky fly over me. Don't say I'm out of touch with this rampant chaos- your reality. I know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge, the nightmare I built my own world to escape. In my field of paper flowers and candy clouds of lullaby, I lie inside myself for hours and watch my purple sky fly over me. Swallowed up in the sound of my screaming, cannot cease for the fear of silent nights. Oh, how I long for the deep sleep dreaming, the goddess of imaginary light. In my field of paper flowers and candy clouds of lullaby, I lie inside myself for hours and watch my purple sky fly over me. Ooh, ooh. Ooh, oh. Paper flowers. Ooh, ooh. Ooh, oh. Paper flowers."

"You are like her," Sephiroth whispered when she finished the chords. "I never thought there was anyone…"

"You should hear the whole band," Anselm suggested as he stood to make dinner. The three of them suddenly stopped what they were doing.

"What was that?" Bergljot asked as a scratching sound was heard at the door.

"I'll check. Sephiroth, keep her back," Anselm whispered as he drew his staff and approached the door. Sephiroth pulled Bergljot behind him and held his arm in front of her. His other hand reached for his sword while Anselm slowly opened the door.

There was nothing outside. Bergljot lowered the blades, but Sephiroth and Anselm refused to relax. Not a minute passed when a human-sized shadow appeared in front of the door. It shrunk so that it was a pool of black on the floor and blew past Anselm before he could react. Sephiroth stared.

"It's a Heartless. Kill it. What the hell are you doing?" Bergljot whispered. Sephiroth began stomping on the pool, not harming it a bit. "You can't beat it that way, stab it!"

It was too late. The Heartless rose in front of Bergljot as Sephiroth stopped his embarrassing assault. It slowly raised its head and drew a circular weapon. Bergljot suppressed a gasp when she saw his face.

"G-Gwandoya?"

His yellow eyes glowed as he charged at her. Bergljot screamed as she jumped out of the way. The shield barely missed her.

"Get away from her!" Sephiroth yelled. He slashed at the creature, slashing open his leg. Black smoke poured out, but he was not destroyed. Sephiroth swung again, this time aiming for the head.

"Stop!" Bergljot yelled, slamming her blades against his. "He's a Heartless, but he's also my brother. I might be able to bring him back. Try to get him to leave his chest vulnerable."

Sephiroth nodded as he and Anselm attacked. The three of them tried several attacks together, none of which left room for Bergljot to strike. Sephiroth finally nicked his throat.

"FIRE!" Anselm called right after. Flames shot at his brother, engulfing him and seeping through the wounds.

"RAH!" Gwandoya hissed. He blew the fire away with his spinning attack and knocked the other men out of the way. Bergljot ran up to Gwandoya and pleaded.

"Please, stop! I know you're still in there. Listen to my voice. I know you can hear me. Please, come back," she sobbed. "Follow my voice out of the darkness. Don't do this."

The man stopped for a moment. He stared at her. He finally took his shield in hand, put it away, and leapt at her throat.

"AH!" they both screeched. Bergljot was knocked to the floor while he was thrown to the other side of the room. Sephiroth stood above her, sword in hand and anger on his face.

"I understand that you want to save him, but it's too late. Just like Kalliope."

Bergljot stood and approached the monster as it drew the shield again.

"Let my brother go," Anselm growled. "Thunder!"

Bolts shot at the shadow and surged through his body. He spread his arms in pain, giving Bergljot the opportunity she waited for. Without hesitation, she took the blades and jabbed them just below the monster's 'skin.' Gwandoya screeched as he sank to the floor.

"Let him go," she repeated. She turned the keys ninety degrees and pulled them out.

"Hah…" the shadow hissed. It sank to the floor in a heap. The body glowed as the others watched. The black on the skin melted away to pink flesh and the eyes closed. Gwandoya lay sprawled on the floor for several minutes. Bergljot finally began to walk towards him as he moved.

"Huh?" he sighed. Gwandoya opened his eyes halfway and slowly began to sit up. He looked over at Bergljot, Anselm and Sephiroth. He chuckled a little and collapsed once more.

================

"I think he'll be blind for the rest of his life."

"Shut up! You'll wake him up and scare him."

"He's already waking up."

"Gwandoya?"

"Gwandoya!"

"Uh."

Gwandoya awoke to three faces peering down on him. His eyes were slightly clouded over. Looking around, he saw that he was in his bed. He laid back.

"I remember darkness," he muttered.

"It's okay," Bergljot whispered. She wiped his face with a cold washcloth.

"Welcome back," Anselm smiled. Sephiroth only stood by the window and watched.

"I was surrounded. I couldn't see or hear anything. I could feel my body moving and fighting," he stopped and laid his hand on Bergljot's cheek. "I heard you calling me. I tried to follow your voice. The next thing I knew, I was being electrocuted and I felt the blades in my chest. I saw a glimmer of light and when I got to it, I woke up to find you."

"It's done. Don't dwell on the past," Sephiroth said from the window. Gwandoya ignored the comment and looked worriedly at Bergljot.

"My vision's blurry. Do you really think I'll be blind?"

"Maybe. You may not lose your sight totally. At least, not for a while," Bergljot explained. "Can you do blind fight?"

"Yes."

"Then we'll be fine," Anselm nodded.

"I can't be blind," Gwandoya whispered. "I want to see your child. I don't want to have to fight blind."

"Relax. Stay in bed a few days," Bergljot laid a hand on his shoulder as Gwandoya tried to sit up. "You're going to have to regain your strength."

"I'll go fix you something to eat," Anselm said as he walked out the door. Sephiroth followed.

"I'm hungry, too."

"Bergljot?" Gwandoya called as she prepared to leave the room. "Thanks."

"I was really scared when I watched you…" Bergljot held back tears.

"I wish I didn't have to put you through that. I don't hear the voices anymore."

"Good," Bergljot smiled. They hugged for the first time in almost one year.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yep, he's back. Oh, and just to ease Kizna1200's mind, I am not killing all my characters. It was just a joke since I've killed Bergljot's mother and cat, her father, the innkeeper in Ogden, Gilda, Zita, Omega, Gwandoya (even though he was just revived…), and I'm going to kill Someone, A Person, and others in the future. And to L4by4- IF BERGLJOT DIES HOW CAN THE STORY CONTINUE, SMART ONE??????????????????????????????? Slaps L4by4 Thanks for reading, anyway.

Ahem. I have two disclaimers:

1- The song in this is _Imaginary_ by Evanescence.

2- The story of Kalliope and Sephiroth belongs to me. Hojo, Jenova, and the Jenova Project are copyrights of Square-Enix.

The story should pick up again either chapter 18 or 19. How do you all like Sephiroth being a good guy? Summer vacation just started Friday, so expect to be receiving a lot of author alerts over the next three months. Please note: I will be gone at the end of July and beginning of August, so you'll all have two weeks of freedom from my wrath. Thanks again for reading everyone.

Hugs Everybody Is clawed by Soul Vagabond in response Gags in pain Dies

At the Farplane: Damn claws of the Soul Vagabond…

(In-joke between us…)

NINJA MAGE


	17. Preparations

****

Chapter XVI

Preparations

"Here, let me help you up," Anselm begged.

"I'm perfectly capable of getting out of bed myself, thank you," Bergljot snapped.

Two months passed since Gwandoya died and was resurrected. His vision was getting a little worse each day, but he was still able to see well enough to get along. Bergljot was getting bigger as well. Her mood swings were worse, too.

"I'm going to call Renatus after breakfast. You know, give them an update."

"Okay. What do you want?" Anselm asked as she got dressed.

"A glass of orange juice and a piece of toast," she said.

"Come down when you're ready."

Bergljot sighed as her husband left the room. She pulled out her baby book from the table next to the bed and opened it. Inside, she found a picture of her mother when she was four and a half months pregnant. She looked from the picture to her reflection in the mirror and was surprised to see that she was somewhat larger than her mother had been.

_Well, I'm sure it's not very important,_ she thought. Bergljot laid down the book and went to breakfast.

===============

"You seem to be doing just fine," Renatus smiled an hour later. She and the group from Itziar were sitting around the sphere on Ogden. They listened politely as Bergljot updated them.

"I'm glad you brought Doya back," Leilani whispered. "I felt his soul start to enter the Lifestream, but it refused to stay in the flow. That must be why he became a Heartless and didn't just die."

"Only five more months, right?" Strifer asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah. I haven't even thought of names yet," she realized.

"Maybe you should name it after on of Doya's kids," Yuffeth suggested.

"No, I think it'll be too painful for him, having to remember his children every day."

"Well, congratulations," Renatus nodded. She turned serious. "The other worlds have sent messages. No Heartless have been seen on any worlds since you arrived back at Drummond."

"You don't think Ansem's up to something, do you?" Ken'ichi looked at Bergljot.

"Could be. He may be toying with us. Who knows? Maybe he misses having a little competition."

"Any Heartless there? Other than the ones that killed Gwandoya?" Yuffeth asked.

"Yeah," Bergljot muttered sadly. "More are gathering every day. They can sense a heart forming. I fear that when I give birth, we'll be totally surrounded and defenseless."

"You'll be fine," Renatus reassured her. "You didn't say how Sephiroth was turning out."

"He's not really that bad. He's tough and really quiet. But his voice…" she paused, trying to think of how to describe it. "You can tell that he's hard, but there's a softness under there. I think with some help, it can break through. He's going through the transition from evil to good with few problems."

"Hurry back," Leilani whispered. "I want to battle him as soon as possible. I don't know how many more times I can be reborn."

"Don't tell him I said this," Bergljot began. "But do you know why he killed you? Other than the fact that you were looking for a way to kill him."

"I never knew there was another reason."

"He was in love with you."

Silence followed this statement. Leilani blushed and looked at her with a shocked face as Bergljot explained the incident with Kalliope.

"Anyway, I thought you might like to know that. I have to go. Anselm and I have some things to discuss and… preparations to make."

"We look forward to seeing you," Renatus concluded. She turned off the Commsphere.

===============

"Anselm, we need to talk."

"What about?" Anselm asked as he washed the morning's dishes.

"I want to talk about the baby," she began pushing him. Sephiroth walked in. "Whoa, mister muscles. And just how is sleeping handsome this morning?"

"Shut up," Sephiroth yawned as he whacked Bergljot over the head. He had been asleep since dusk and most of the morning. Sephiroth hadn't even bothered to put on the belts that fit over his chest or his cloak. He looked strange and off balance with his wing sticking through only skin and no cloth. His hair was knotted in several places. He opened the fridge and began foraging for food.

"Here," Anselm tossed him a banana. "I'll toast some bread."

"Thanks," Sephiroth looked at the fruit in disgust. He peeled it slowly and took a bite. He struggled to chew it and swallow.

"I guess you're more of a meat-eater, huh?" Bergljot smiled.

"Yes."

"Do you mind for a minute? I have to talk to my husband."

"Of course," Sephiroth nodded. He took his toast and went to join Gwandoya in the living room.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"First of all, I want to discuss what we're going to do about when the time comes," Bergljot sat at the table.

"We aren't going to be able to get a doctor here," Anselm thought aloud as he sat next to her. "No doctor could be able to make it past the Heartless. I guess that means one of the bedrooms."

"Okay. You'll have to be with me."

"Of course."

"You don't get it," Bergljot gave him an exasperated look. "You have to act as midwife."

"Why not Gwandoya?" Anselm snapped in disgust.

"He's going blind. He won't be able to see what he's doing. And Sephiroth's fiancée died before she had the chance to get pregnant, so don't even suggest him."

"Fine. This was a really bad time to have a baby, wasn't it?" Anselm smirked.

"This is such a mess. I wish we had never done that," Bergljot began to cry a little. She leaned into Anselm's arms.

"It's okay. We'll get through. Relax," he whispered soothingly. "Only a few more months. They'll go by fast, don't worry."

"Do you want a boy or girl?" Bergljot asked quietly.

"A boy would be strong. But then again, a girl would have more of my wife's beautiful looks. I really don't care, as long as it's ours."

"Don't leave my side for a minute between now and then. Promise?" Bergljot begged.

"I promise."

===============

The months did indeed fly by as the important day drew ever closer. Bergljot was beginning to worry. She had looked at her mother's eight-month picture and, upon gazing in her mirror, realized she was huge.

"Anselm, I'm scared," she confessed a month before she expected to give birth. "What if the Heartless find a way in? I don't want the dream to come true."

"You'll be fine. I taught Alpha the spell, remember? She's going to stay in the house and keep a watch on how strong it is. She'll renew it if necessary."

Ace and Alpha had been able to dig a tunnel from the basement to the lake and built a makeshift house for them. They were able to travel between the homes safely. The Heartless never suspected a thing. The two of them had been living there since they returned from the islands.

"I don't want this baby anymore," Bergljot whispered as tears formed in her eyes.

"Hey, honey," Anselm hugged her comfortingly. "It's too late now. You'll be all right. You've gone through eight months. One more month, a few hours of pain and you're done. I shouldn't have mentioned the pain, should I?"

"No. But I feel a little better. You've kept your promise. Thank you," she hugged him tighter. She looked at Omega's old basinet next to the bed. "I don't believe this is going to happen. I wanted to have children, but I thought we'd be married a few years first. Then again, I didn't think I would be traveling through space battling monsters. I also expected to conceive here, not up there."

"I love you," Anselm whispered into her ear. "No more sex until the light comes. I swear. I don't want to chance this happening again."

"I don't want to go through this again for a good, long time."

"You won't."

===============

"She seems to be well," Sephiroth said as he and Gwandoya sat on the windowsill. Bergljot and Anselm had been upstairs discussing what they would do when this time next month. "Then again, I would not know. I am only assuming."

"She is. I remember when Gilda had our kids. It was amazing. I never really believed in miracles until I held my babies for the first time," Gwandoya was polishing his glasses and squinting at the light. He had found a pair of darkly tinted sunglasses that didn't allow any one to see his eyes. They had begun to lighten, making his eyes look as though he had no iris or pupils. He could barely see as it was. "I'm glad I'll still be able to see a little in a month. I want to see the child at least once."

"I am sorry we had to fight you. We are connected now, in a way."

"How do you mean?"

"We have both suffered death, yet been resurrected. We have both had to hurt or be hurt by ones we loved. We each held our wives as they died," Sephiroth sighed. He looked at Gwandoya. "Thank you for bringing me back."

"I didn't do anything," Gwandoya shrugged as he put on his glasses. "How do I look?"

"Not bad," Sephiroth smiled. Bergljot and Anselm came down at that moment.

"Styling, bro," Anselm laughed. Gwandoya gave thumbs up.

"Hey."

"Well, we're all set," Bergljot said shakily as she sank into a chair. She laid a hand on her swollen stomach. "All we need now is for this little one to decide when it wants to come out."

"I hope everything turns out well for you," Sephiroth smiled. He put a hand on Bergljot's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "We have only known each other for seven months, but I feel as though you have taught me more than anyone could learn in that time. Thank you all."

We're here any time you need us," Gwandoya told her. He slipped off his glasses and polished the spots he missed.

"Here, I'll do it," Bergljot said hurriedly. Before he could object, Bergljot seized the eye protection and rubbed them feverishly with the hem of her top.

"And thus begins the most annoying month," Anselm chuckled.

"What do you mean?" Sephiroth gave him a sideways look.

"He means the ninth month," Gwandoya explained. "During the ninth month of pregnancy, women get urges to clean. Don't be surprised if you wake up in the middle of the night and find her trying to strip all your clothes off to wash them."

"Don't say that. No woman would do that," Sephiroth chuckled at the thought while Anselm and Bergljot laughed hysterically.

"Oh no?" Gwandoya raised his eyebrows. "Then how do you explain me waking up several nights during both of Gilda's pregnancies and trying to have sex with her because she's tearing my pajamas off my back?"

The group shut up immediately.

===============

The day was only a week away. Hundreds of Heartless were gathered around the house twenty-four hours a day. Alpha had returned to the house and was doing her best to practice the spell. She renewed it each day when she sensed the power weaken. The men in the house were busy with final preparations. Sephiroth helped Bergljot get around the house when she needed it while Gwandoya stalked Anselm to make sure he knew what he had to do when Bergljot gave birth.

"For the final time, I know! Now, SHUT THE HELL UP!" Anselm screamed when Gwandoya approached him once more to talk about the procedure for getting the baby out.

Bergljot didn't have it any easier. She felt weak and bloated, and all she wanted to do all day was either clean or sleep. She was also the one that had to endure painful kicks from the baby in the middle of the night, when she took a shower, when she ate, and every other moment of the day. She knew that the more motions the baby made, the closer the due date was. Bergljot was so big, she could hardly get out of bed in the morning. She finally tried to subtly induce labor. Anselm and Gwandoya had warned her not to, that it would make the baby come before it was ready and increase the chances of complications, but she didn't care. She was tired of being pregnant and wanted to get it done and over with. Anselm finally forbade her to leave the upper level of the house.

"I'm not chancing you tripping on the stairs," he explained when Bergljot objected. She knew that he knew she was trying to induce labor, but she had no other choice but to obey with no arguments.

"I hope she does not suffer too much pain," Sephiroth said the morning after she was isolated.

"Why?" Gwandoya asked. "I'd have thought you'd want to see someone suffer. I thought you were evil."

"Yes, but she is different. She has treated me differently than any other person. She has been friendly and gentle."

"She'll be strong," Anselm said. "She always has been, and this is the perfect time to prove that strength. I think she's brave. No pain any man has ever suffered or will ever suffer can compare with that of childbirth. I actually admire her for that."

"I am glad I am a man," Sephiroth sighed.

"Hey, look what I found yesterday," Gwandoya smiled. He pulled two black boxes out of his coat and handed one to Anselm. "Walkie-Talkies. I'll keep one down here, and you take one up when she's ready. Radio me when we can come up or if you need help for any reason."

"Sounds good. I hope she comes out okay."

"We'll be down here if you need us," Sephiroth comforted him.

"Do you realize what you just did?" Gwandoya stared at him.

"What?"

"You used a contraction. You said 'we'll' instead of 'we will' like you usually do," Anselm pointed out.

"I suppose," Sephiroth chuckled. "You're speech is starting to wear off on me."

"Anselm?" Bergljot called softly from the top of the stairs.

"Be right there," Anselm returned as he stood. "Be back in a minute."

"Gilda sounds like she was a good woman," Sephiroth whispered without looking at him. "I wish I could have met her."

"You will someday. Hopefully, that day is a long way off," Gwandoya looked at Sephiroth. "Are you okay?"

"I am in awe. There is so much love and caring between the three of you. I doubt I will ever again feel as I did when Kalliope was alive," he muttered. Gwandoya's jaw dropped as he thought he saw a few tears build up in Sephiroth's eyes. The two of them sat in silence.

Anselm walked in hurriedly a few minutes later. He looked a little scared as he collected the radio and a small sports bag.

"Are you okay?" Gwandoya asked as he stood up.

"Yeah. I'll be fine in a while."

"What's wrong?" Sephiroth demanded as he, too, stood. The answer made them sit back down very slowly.

"She's ready. Her labor started late last night. I'm going to be a father in a few hours."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aw… So sweet… Ahem. Anyway. This chapter is full of random junk that I came up with to give a little time between the last chapter and the next. It should pick up after the next one. The next chapter is going to be from the viewpoints of Gwandoya and Sephy-chan only. No, you won't have to visualize… that. You'll get a break from Bergljot until the very end of the next chapter, too.

And to Soul Vagabond: IF DEAD PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO STAY DEAD, DOES THAT INCLUDE SEYMOUR AND SEPHIROTH?????

Anyway, thanks again for all the reviews, people!


	18. The New Hearts

****

Chapter XVII

The New Hearts

"How is she?" Gwandoya asked through the radio.

"Okay. She's really tired. I don't know how much longer," Anselm replied. Gwandoya could hear Bergljot moaning in the background.

"I'll call back in a while. Let me know if something happens."

"Will do," Anselm said as Bergljot started breathing heavily. They turned off their radios.

Hours had passed. Noon had come and gone, and it seemed like dusk was approaching faster than usual. Dark clouds formed in the sky, and thunder could be heard in the distance. Sephiroth stood by the door, the screen closed and the main door open, the breeze blowing across his face. Heartless stood not ten feet away, watching and waiting for the moment when the shield would come down.

"This is weird," Gwandoya laughed quietly. "I always imagined that when I became an uncle, I would be waiting in a hospital. Who would have thought I'd be in my own house?"

"I am interested. I have never been around a pregnant woman before. This was an interesting experience for me," Sephiroth sighed. He turned to Gwandoya. "I cannot imagine how exhilarated you must feel."

"I had two kids. The excitement actually wears off after a while. But you know, he's my only living sibling. He was a twin, but his sister…" Gwandoya paused and took a deep breath. "She had an accident when they were seven years old and I was ten. We were playing by a river near our house when I accidentally pushed her in the direction of the river. My sister slipped and fell in, but she didn't know how to swim. I went after her, but she cracked her head on a rock under the water. I could see the blood reddening the water. I knew it was too late, but I tried anyway. I carried her home and we took her to a hospital. Her lungs were half-filled with water. She caught a bad case of pneumonia on the way to the emergency room and went into a coma the next day. She died a week later. I was so young then, but I knew I caused her death. My parents told me that she should have known better than to play where she could get hurt like that. They never had a problem with my brother and I playing down there, only her. We learned to swim young. They had told her not to play down there, but since when do seven year olds listen? I knew it was my fault. I should never have pushed her, even if we were only playing. I've never forgiven myself."

"I am terribly sorry," Sephiroth laid a hand on Gwandoya's trembling shoulder. "I suppose we have all suffered the loss of loved ones."

"She woke up just before she died. We were all there. She told each of us that she loved us and that she wasn't afraid of death. She asked to only have Anselm and I there when she died. She told us to have faith. She said, 'all the darkness in the world can not extinguish the light of a single candle.' I didn't know what she meant at the time, but now I know. I think she knew this would happen. We all knew of our heritage, but I think she knew that it was our generation that would suffer. She also told us to keep our lights burning strong. Then she died," he began to cry a little. "I wish I could have changed that. I wish I had been the one to die."

"You did die for a while," Sephiroth pointed out. "And you know the joy of family. I was isolated from my mother and never knew who my father was. I had no siblings or children. I hoped to have children with Kalliope, but after she died…"

"Bergljot told me the story. I give you my sympathy."

"I don't need sympathy. I can only hope that Cloud's descendant will not try to kill me. Maybe if I live through this new journey, I will find somebody."

"Why not Leilani?" Gwandoya suggested.

"You mean Aeris? No. She wants to fight me to the death. I cannot marry one who wants me dead, nor can I marry one that I killed."

"Perhaps we'll find someone for you on our mission."

"Sure," Sephiroth rolled his eyes and became saddened. "I fear there is nobody for me. Kalliope was the only one who ever loved me. I am afraid that I have missed the opportunity to spend my life with someone. Now that I have turned to evil, I worry that no woman can love me."

"Bergljot does."

"Are you sure?"

"She doesn't love you the way she loves my brother, but she does care about you. I think if she hadn't married my brother, she might have started to flirt with you. Because she's spoken for, she chose to love you like a brother. The love of a family lasts longer than that of true lovers. The sensual love that you felt for Kalliope, I felt for Gilda, even Anselm feels for Bergljot, that kind of love can fade. Family love, like my love for my sister, lasts forever. No matter what, you will always be connected, even after death," Gwandoya explained.

"You never said your sister's name," Sephiroth looked at him sideways. "Just out of curiosity, what was it?"

"Shamira," he replied. He closed his eyes as he thought about those seven short years.

"How long can labor last?" Sephiroth asked. He had just realized that it had been seven hours since Bergljot and Anselm had disappeared for the delivery.

"Depends. Some can be in labor for half a day, others last nearly a whole one. The first birth tends to be the longest. Normally if a woman goes over twenty-four hours, the doctors give a c-section."

"What's that?" Sephiroth asked.

"The doctors cut into the woman to get the baby out. I doubt we'll have that problem with Bergljot."

"How long has she been in labor?"

"Well, Anselm said the contractions started about four o'clock this morning, so I think it's been at least eleven hours."

"It shouldn't be much longer then, right?"

"Hopefully. I remember when Gilda had Zita. She was my first child. Gilda labored for twenty-five hours and had to have a c-section. The doctors were just about to make the incision when out the baby came. They were unprepared as anything. I had to pull my shirt out of the closet to wrap my daughter in until they could get her cleaned up. Omega was easy. He was only about ten months old when he died. My wife only labored for seven hours, believe it or not. She ended up delivering here. There was no time to get her to the hospital, so I called the doctor to come here. The baby came two hours after the doctor arrived."

"Is that why you knew what to tell Anselm to do?" Sephiroth smiled.

"Yeah. Omega's birth was actually a lot like what's happening now, except Anselm was down here keeping Zita busy while I helped with the delivery and there were no Heartless trying to get at us."

"I hope some day I can feel the joy and pride you and Anselm feel."

The two of them sat in silence for what felt like hours. Alpha eventually came in from the basement.

"Any news?"

"Not for awhile. This sort of thing takes patience," Gwandoya shrugged as he leaned back against the wall.

"No news is good news though, right?" Sephiroth said quietly.

"I just came up to renew the shield and get a drink," Alpha explained as she held up a glass. "I guess I'll go back down. Let me know as soon as she's finished.

"Will do," Gwandoya nodded. He noticed that Sephiroth was watching the young woman disappear with interest. "How about her?"

"Possibly. She's a strong woman. I wouldn't mind someone like that. But then, her ancestor was one of the men that tried to kill me."

"You mean Cid?"

"Yeah."

"How can you handle that sword?" Gwandoya asked, trying to pass the time.

"Magic. I'm stronger than any other man, but Masamune is still too heavy for me to handle without help. It was reinforced with magic, making it so only one man may ever wield it."

"You?" Gwandoya smiled.

"Who else?" Sephiroth sighed. "Seeing how stressed you and your brother are about Bergljot, I am a little glad that Kalliope died and I never had to go through this."

"But you still miss her."

"Yes…" Sephiroth trailed off, his voice cracking slightly. "This is the first time I've thought about her in a millennia. Longer, actually. I was created back in the early nineteen hundreds. I was frozen in two thousand two. I wish she were with me. Maybe then, I wouldn't be who I am now."

"Nobody ever knows what would happen to them if they chose a different path. It's something that we all have to get used to," Gwandoya whispered. He sat by Sephiroth and patted him on the back. "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I heard Anselm and Bergljot discussing who is to be the godparent. I think they're going to ask you."

"I don't know what to say," Sephiroth gasped in disbelief.

"Nothing. Don't say a word until they ask you."

"If a am godfather, that means that I would be in charge of the child if the two of them die, right?"

"Yep. I doubt it'll come to that."

"Gwandoya!" came Anselm's voice from the radio.

"Talk to me," he said as he picked up the machine.

"I thought I'd give you an update. She's going to give birth any minute. Give it another fifteen or twenty and you can come up."

"Cool. We'll be up in a few."

"What do I do when I go in?" Sephiroth asked as Gwandoya laid down the radio.

"Talk quietly so you don't scare the baby and wait until Bergljot says you can hold it. When you hold it, keep its head up. One of a baby's most sensitive parts of the body is the head. Be gentle with it," Gwandoya explained. He looked at Sephiroth and smiled. "But then, given your past, maybe you should just stay away from it."

"That's not funny," Sephiroth muttered angrily.

"I'm sorry. It was just a joke."

Sephiroth went back to gazing outside while Gwandoya looked out the window. It was half-an-hour before Anselm got back to them.

"Hey guys!" he gasped happily. "I'm a father!"  
"What is it? Boy or girl?" Gwandoya replied.

"It's a-" Anselm was cut off by a cry from Bergljot.

"Oh, god, Anselm! Get back over here!"

"Oh, shit."

"What's going on?" Sephiroth asked worriedly.

"Her bleeding hasn't stopped."

"We'll be right there," Gwandoya called.

"Wait a minute…" Anselm whispered slowly. "Stay downstairs. I'll tell you when to come."

"Yeah, but-" Sephiroth started to protest.

"I said stay there!" Anselm snapped. The next moment, there was silence.

"What do you think is happening?" Sephiroth looked at Gwandoya with a scared expression on his face.

"I don't know," Gwandoya muttered. He was extremely pale. They waited for several long minutes before Anselm called back.

"She's fine. Come on up in about ten minutes," Anselm said giddily. Static followed this short statement.

"Sounds like everything went well," Sephiroth smiled widely. "Shall we?"

"Give it ten minutes like Anselm said and we'll go up."

=============

"How is mommy feeling?" Anselm asked softly. Bergljot was lying in bed, the blankets tucked in tightly. Her hair was matted and her eyes were watery, but she was smiling.

"It still hurts a little, but I feel great. I'm glad I made theses blankets."

"I'm happier about what we made together," he smiled.

"Looks like you got what you wanted," Bergljot said softly as she kissed her baby's face.

"I could say the same for you," Anselm gently kissed Bergljot's cheek when there was a knock at the door.

"Who's there?" Anselm called.

"Us," Gwandoya and Sephiroth called together.

"Come on in."

"Wow," Sephiroth whispered as he caught sight of the golden bundle in Bergljot's arms. Anselm was looking out the window.

"Wow is right," Anselm smiled as he turned around.

"My god," Gwandoya gasped.

"What?"

There was another white bundle in Anselm's arms. He handed it back to Bergljot.

"So that was the problem," Sephiroth whispered.

"That's right," Bergljot grinned as she gazed at the two small faces. "Twins."

"What sexes?" Gwandoya questioned.

"The first one was a boy. He's the one in the gold. The other's a girl," Anselm answered as he picked up his son. "Come meet uncle Gwandoya."

"Hey, little guy," Gwandoya whispered softly. The baby's eyes were just beginning to open. "He's so small."

"Seven pounds, both of them," Bergljot told him. "Sephiroth, come hold her."

"No, I really shouldn't," he replied hurriedly. He was standing by the door, refusing to come closer."

"I was just kidding about you staying away from the baby!" Gwandoya said exasperatedly.

"I think somebody needs an angel to hold her," Anselm sang as he brought his squirming daughter over.

"No, that's okay, I'll…" Before he could object further, Sephiroth found a small, white bundle pushed into his arms.

"Careful of her head," Bergljot reminded him as she took back the boy.

"She's so adorable," Sephiroth muttered in surprise. Her eyes were wide-open and bright blue. "She has your eyes, Bergljot."

"All babies have blue eyes when they're born. They could change."

"I never knew babies were so cute."

"Here, let me take her. They need to be with Bergljot for awhile," Anselm said as he took the child. No sooner was she separated from Sephiroth than she began crying.

"I think somebody likes you," Gwandoya teased. Sephiroth knelt by Bergljot as the baby was placed in her arms.

"I'm sorry honey, but I'm a little old for you."

"Could you leave for a little while? I need to rest," Bergljot sighed happily.

"Sure," Gwandoya agreed. He and Sephiroth turned to leave.

"Sephiroth?" Bergljot asked.

"Yes?" he said, turning to face her.

"We were wondering if you would be godfather."

"I would be honored," Sephiroth bowed.

"Thank you," Anselm smiled. "I'll be down in a minute."

"Fine," Gwandoya nodded. He and Sephiroth disappeared.

"You know what we need to do?" Anselm asked his wife.

"What?"

"Name them."

Bergljot looked at the two faces and pondered. She searched her mind for all the names she could think of, but nothing seemed to fit. She finally nodded and turned to Anselm.

"You got an idea?"

"Yes. Say hello to your son, Gemini Apollo Hammond, and daughter, Genesis Artemis Hammond."

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Okay, next chapter: I promise you'll get more detail and it'll pick up. And… Sephiroth _singing_??? Interesting concept, eh?

I'm also posting another story featuring (who else?) the silver haired Sephiroth. It's kind of like one of those 'PS2 blows up and Final Fantasy characters pop up in your living room' stories. Only not. Check for it under Final Fantasy VII. I should post it later this afternoon.

As for my FFX, I should be starting that this week, but no later than next. Should I make fun of the final FMV? You know, at the very end of FFX? Let me know! I really have nothing else to say…

Oh, I remember now! Keep sending reviews!


	19. The Song and Reunion

****

Chapter XVIII

The Song and Reunion

"When should we leave?" Anselm asked.

"Well, Bergljot still needs two or three days to rest. She'll need longer since she gave birth to twins instead of one baby," Gwandoya replied thoughtfully.

Three days had passed since Gemini and Genesis were born. The three men were seated around the breakfast table, trying to decide when the best time would be to return to Ogden. They all jumped when they heard a voice behind them.

"We leave tomorrow."

"Bergljot, what are you doing?" Anselm snapped. He rushed over to her and grabbed her arm to guide her back to the room. "You should still be resting!"

"I feel fine. I know I should rest, but we're on a mission. Now, let's get ready," she said coolly as she pulled her arm out of his grasp. "As I said, we leave tomorrow. I'm already packed."

"Are you sure you feel okay?" Sephiroth asked. He laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Positive."

"Then I see no problem with leaving," Sephiroth shrugged. He turned to the others. "I'm ready to go anytime. I am rather interested in riding this Gummi ship."  
"Well, I don't think-" Gwandoya began. He was cut off by a cry coming through the baby monitor that Bergljot had in her hand.

"I better go check on them," Bergljot sighed.

"Allow me," Sephiroth offered. He walked past her and was heading upstairs before anyone could object.

===============

"What's wrong, little ones?" Sephiroth muttered as he entered the room. He drew Masamune for a moment, thinking of shutting them up that way, but stopped. _She'd kill me_. He thought. Putting his sword away, Sephiroth peered into the basinet. Gemini was grinning, but Genesis was bawling.

"What happened? Did your big brother hit you? He's turning into an evil little rascal already," Sephiroth laughed. He picked up the little girl and held her for a few minutes. She still refused to quiet. "Please don't need a change."

A few minutes passed. Sephiroth began to think that his ears would burst. Gemini finally began to cry, too.

"What now?" Sephiroth muttered hopelessly as he picked up the other child. As he sat in the rocker, an idea hit him.

"Come stop your crying, it will be all right," Sephiroth sang quietly. He stopped in shock at the sound of his voice. _I can sing?_ He thought. The children stopped, too, but began when he silenced. He muttered under his breath. "Great."

"WAH!" the babies screeched.

_Here goes…_ Sephiroth thought. He began to sing again.

"Come stop your crying, it will be all right. Just take my hand; hold it tight. I will protect you from all around you. I will be here, don't you cry," he sang. The kids quieted slightly. "For one so small, you seem so strong. My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm. This bond between us can't be broken. I will be here, don't you cry. 'Cause you'll be in my heart. Yes, you'll be in my heart from this day on, now and forever more. You'll be in my heart, no matter what they say. You'll be here in my heart, always," he glanced down at the bundles to see that they were quietly waiting for him to continue.

"Why can't they understand the way we feel? They just don't trust what they can't explain. I know we're different, but deep inside us, we're not that different at all. And you'll be in my heart. Yes, you'll be in my heart from this day on, now and forever more. Don't listen to them, 'cause what do they know? We need each other, to have, to hold. They'll see in time. I know. When destiny calls you, you must be strong. I may not be with you, but you've got to hold on. They'll see in time. I know. We'll show them together 'cause you'll be in my heart. Yes, you'll be in my heart from this day on, now and forever more. Oh, you'll be in my heart, no matter what they say. You'll be here in my heart, always," he sang softly as he placed the now dozing children in the basinet. "Always. I'll be with you. I'll be there for you always. Always and all ways. Just look over your shoulder. Just look over your shoulder. Just look over your shoulder. I'll be there. Always."

The babies were cuddled close together. Sephiroth almost wanted to curl up with them. He gazed at them for several minutes. He finally leaned in and gave each of them a peck on the cheek.

"Good night young ones," he whispered as he walked out.

===============

"What?" Sephiroth was taken aback. The three adults were staring at him as he came downstairs.

"You sang to them," Anselm gasped.

"You heard me?" Sephiroth began blushing.

"I guess you've never heard of a baby monitor," Gwandoya smiled, holding the object out.

"For what it's worth, you have a great voice," Bergljot complimented.

"I actually never tried to sing before," Sephiroth confessed, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"What were you singing?" Bergljot asked.

"I don't know. It just sort of came to me."

"I like it. You don't mind if I use it if I begin singing again, do you?"

"Be my guest," Sephiroth muttered. He was still terribly red. "By the way, I notice you cut your hair."

"Yeah, it was beginning to be a bother," Bergljot grinned as she ran her fingers through her now shoulder length hair. She stood and turned serious. "I think you guys should pack as soon as possible. I want to leave tomorrow. I'm going upstairs to feed my children. I hope you'll at least start packing by the time I'm done."

===============

"Okay, you two," Bergljot said Gemini and Genesis in a baby voice as she took them out of the basinet. "We're going to go for a ride on a Gummi ship. You'll get to meet your mommy and daddy's friends. You'll see Renatus, Yuffeth, Strifer, Ken'ichi, and Leilani."

"Just take them into the ship, huh?" Anselm begged. He picked up the basinet to put it in the ship. He was beginning to get annoyed by the voices.

"This is a Gummi ship?" Sephiroth asked as Anselm came out.

"Yeah," Gwandoya said. He was using his hands to feel around for the door. Ever since the babies were born, his vision was pretty much gone. His vision had stayed decent until the day after the births, almost as if he was meant to see them one time.

"Here," Sephiroth offered. He pulled on the door and helped Gwandoya in as Bergljot brought the children in. He and Anselm placed the basinet in the bedroom before settling in for take-off.

"You sure you can handle piloting?" Gwandoya asked as Anselm took the controls.

"Sure thing. Everyone ready?"

Everyone nodded, so Anselm turned the ship to outer space.

===============

"Are you okay?" Bergljot asked Sephiroth near the end of the flight. He was staring out at the expanse of stars.

"It's just…" he sighed. "I haven't seen Aeris in over one thousand years. I want to see her. At the same time, I never want to see her again."

"You killed her, but you also loved her. Don't be ashamed," Bergljot whispered soothingly as she hugged him.

"I'm going to kill her again. No matter how old she is, she can never be strong enough to defeat me."

"You'll be fine."

"Bergljot, get Gemini and Genesis," Anselm called through the P.A. "I think we're in for a bumpy ride in a minute."

"Sephiroth, would you help me get them?" Bergljot asked as they hurried to the basinet.

They were in the cockpit within seconds. Heartless ships were spread before them, but none had noticed the large, green-blue ship. The ships seemed to be distracted. The group sat while Anselm prepared to shoot lasers at the monsters.

"Get ready," Anselm muttered. Lasers shot one by one at the ships. All of them exploded without warning. When the smoke cleared, the distraction made itself known.

"It's the asteroid we saw before," Bergljot muttered.

"That's not an asteroid," Sephiroth gasped. "That's Meteor."

"What?" Gwandoya asked.

"It floats through space, waiting for its master to summon it. The power Meteor holds can destroy the world. Not even the Summoner would survive."

"Who's the master?" Anselm whispered as it passed them by.

"I don't know," Sephiroth replied quickly. "How much longer?"

"Only a couple of hours," Anselm answered.

===============

"Yuffeth, you've been out there for hours! Get in here!" Strifer called from the manor. Yuffeth was sitting atop the manor, gazing at the stars. For the past week, She had been patiently waiting for Bergljot's return. She had sent a message to Renatus five days ago. She was huge. Apparently, Anselm had confined her to the upper levels until she gave birth. Yuffeth refused to come down for anything other than sleep and food. The others tried everything to get her down.

"Yuffeth," Renatus hollered. "I just called them, but nobody was there. Just come back in, please!"

"I won't come in until I see them."

"Whatever," Strifer shook his head as he and Renatus reentered the house.

"I know they're coming," Yuffeth sighed. She stretched out on the rooftop and gazed at the stars. "It's so peaceful here. I never realized how many stars there are. Huh?"

A light was moving through the stars. A few seconds later, it entered the atmosphere in a blaze. As it got closer, Yuffeth realized what it was and leapt to the ground.

"They're back! The light bringer has returned! Come out and see!" Yuffeth cried happily as she ran through the streets. She was at the field as the ship landed.

"Yuffeth!" Anselm smiled as he jumped out. Gwandoya followed him, and Bergljot brought the twins after. Sephiroth climbed out slowly, but Yuffeth was too absorbed with the babies to notice.

"Twins! Oh, my god, that is so cool!" Yuffeth giggled as she took a baby from Bergljot and spun it around. "What did you name them?"

"The girl is Genesis. The little one you're making sick is Gemini."

"Yuffeth, can you take us to the manor?" Sephiroth asked quietly. Yuffeth jumped at the sight of him. "I want to see Leilani."

"You…" she trailed off. She pretended that she didn't know the answer to the next question. "Why do you want to see her?"

"I want to see if she's really…" he sighed and left the sentence unfinished.

"Well, then, let's go!" Yuffeth grinned with joy.

===============

"Twins," Renatus sighed as she held Genesis. "That must have been painful."

"It was," Bergljot confessed. "But I would do it again in a heartbeat."

"Where's Sephiroth?" Leilani asked. He had gotten cold feet when they reached the doors and refused to come in.

"I'll get him," Anselm said. He was back not a minute later with the one-winged angel. Sephiroth and Leilani gazed at each other for a long time. Ken'ichi was watching, too, but with a look of vengeance instead of disbelief or love.

"My god," Leilani muttered. "Sephiroth."

"Aeris?" Sephiroth whispered. He laid a hand on her shoulder, almost as if making sure she was real and not a ghost.

"Don't touch her," Ken'ichi snapped. He slashed at Sephiroth swiftly, but Sephiroth was quicker. Their blades connected with an ear-shattering clang, and resulted in the two of them glaring at each other for what seemed like hours. The babies started crying out of fear. Sephiroth backed down at the sound of the children.

"I'm not going to fight you," he whispered. He walked back over to Leilani. "May we talk outside, please?"

"Of course," Leilani nodded. Sephiroth knew by the sound of her voice that this was indeed the woman he killed long ago. They walked out of the manor together.

===============

Bergljot walked outside to find Sephiroth and Leilani two hours later so they could leave. She heard them talking on the rooftop and did the lowest thing she had ever done, yet had done a lot lately: she eavesdropped.

"I was worried when they went to get you," Leilani whispered. "I thought for sure you were going to kill them."

"Well, I didn't. I was scared when I heard you were still alive," Sephiroth replied. They were quiet for a moment, but Leilani finally let out a low sigh. "I hope you understand now why I killed you."

"Yes," Leilani said sadly.

"My feelings still exist, Aeris. Although," Sephiroth chuckled. "I guess you've figured that out by now, huh?"

"My name is no longer Aeris," she muttered suddenly. "I am no longer that woman. My name is Leilani. I would like you to call me by that."

"Well, then, Leilani," Sephiroth said. He laid back on the roof.

"I feel the same for you," Leilani confessed. She began to mimic Sephiroth. "Although I guess you've figured that out by now, huh?"

"Shut up," he laughed. They laughed for several minutes before quieting as they had before. Bergljot began putting two and two together. She decided to leave before she had to listen to more.

===============

"Thank you, Renatus," Bergljot bowed. The group followed her lead. "We probably will not return until the sealing, so keep training."

"Definitely. Take care, all of you," Renatus replied as she climbed to the roof. Her people were gathering in the square.

"What's all this?" Sephiroth asked.

"Good luck," she called. "Our prayers are with you all."

Renatus lead the people in what was possible the greatest bow in the history of the world. The group was silent, not knowing what to do. Renatus straightened and began singing slowly. The people silenced, for no one had heard the song in over one thousand years with the exception of the royal family.

"Leyui, nobomenu, Renmiri, yojuyoga. Hasatekanae kutamae."

She repeated the verse several times. The entire city eventually joined in. Pyreflies even rose from the ground and Farplane to dance among the people, even the visitors. Even Sephiroth got tears in his eyes.

The group reluctantly left the land of the Guado to the sound of the hymn and sight of both pyreflies. Each of them wished that they didn't have to go. Renatus watched the ship rise into the sky a few minutes later. She never turned away until the lights were completely out of sight. She bowed once more.

"Kuut milg mekrd pnehkanc…"

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Chapter 18 out of about… 60! Whoop!

Ahem. Anyway, thank you all for reading. Keep sending reviews! Three disclaimers:

1. The Sephiroth song is _You'll be in my Heart _by Phil Collins off of the Disney's Tarzan soundtrack

2. The song the people sing is the Hymn of the Fayth from Final Fantasy X (yes, there are only 6 words)

3. _Kuut milg mekrd pnehkanc_ is Al Bhed (Final Fantasy X language, if anybody doesn't know) for 'Good luck light bringers.'

Thanks again, everybody! And thanks to those that are also reading my FF7 fic, too!


	20. Revenge for the New Lord's Father and th...

****

Chapter XIX

Revenge For The New Lord's Father and the Final Face-Off

"We're almost there," Anselm sighed as they prepared for the sealing of the world. According to Strifer's books, the keyhole was located in a hidden room in the castle. There was no way they would make it in without encountering Angra Mainyu, so the group was going to go in prepared.

"Is there anyone on the world that we can trust the babies with?" Bergljot asked as she practiced with the blades.

"Yeah," Ken'ichi nodded. "Our neighbor knew where we were and kept our secret. She'll care for them."

"Thanks," Anselm smiled as the planet loomed before them.

"Ready everyone?" Yuffeth asked as they buckled in.

"Not really, but what choice do we have?" Sephiroth muttered. Bergljot knew why he didn't want to go. He and Leilani had agreed to have their battle immediately after the keyhole was sealed. She pitied them, but at the same time wanted Leilani to be at peace. The ship shook violently as they entered the atmosphere.

=============

"Let's go," Bergljot whispered. The children had been taken to the woman's house and the adults were gathered around the front most gates to the castle. Anselm had dropped them at the rising falls. The night was as dark as it could possibly be, the scent of rain hanging in the air. "Now!"

"Ugh…" the guards groaned as Strifer and Yuffeth knocked them out cold.

"All clear," Yuffeth waved. The group walked up slowly, preparing for any surprise attack guards might throw at them.

"Here comes the lift," Leilani said. A small platform was coming towards them. The eight of them leapt on and were taken up to the castle. They were surprised by ten guards waiting at the entrance.

"Let's take them down," Ken'ichi hissed. The guards shot their rifles at the intruders, but to no avail. The group quickly subdued the creatures. They walked into the entrance hall quietly and looked around for a way to the top of the castle.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" a guard called from the shadows. Ten guards came after that one.

"Power," Gwandoya said quietly. He spun as the guards approached and nearly knocked their heads off. The monsters fell in heaps.

"How did you know they were that close?" Anselm asked in awe.

"Dad taught me how to fight blind with this shield."

"Stay on topic. Which way?" Sephiroth muttered as they looked around. There were two stairwells in the entrance, but there were two passageways at the landing: one right across from the stairs and one to the left.

"Well, that's the library," Leilani whispered. "I guess we go straight ahead."

No sooner had the patrol gone up the steps than eleven more guards poured out of another room. The team hadn't seen the room to the right of the middle hall.

"Damn," Bergljot hissed. "I forgot where his bedroom was."

"He knows we're coming," Yuffeth whispered. The team slashed their weapons nonstop.

"Boy, these guards are weak," Sephiroth exclaimed as he cut through the last guard.

"Let's check his room real quick," Ken'ichi suggested. They entered slowly, weapons drawn, but nobody was there.

"To the keyhole," Strifer hissed. He pulled out a map he had made of the castle. "Leilani's right. We go forward into the lift room. From there we go through the passage on the left."

"Let's get up there before Angra Mainyu catches us," Bergljot said. They ran through the short hallway into the lift stop. Three guards were standing there waiting. They were horribly outnumbered. The group left the bodies on the floor as they hurried to the next platform.

"Oh, pooh!" Yuffeth cried. There were four more guards on the top of the stairs to the right. Once again, the group was destroyed by the heroes. They noticed something about the platform to the left. "Hey, there's the entrance!"

"Forget that, there're more guards up here!" Gwandoya called. Six guards were taking aim with their guns as the rest of the patrol arrived.

"This is really getting annoying," Anselm hissed angrily as he beat the crap out of one of the soldiers.

"Relax, we're not having any trouble beating them," Leilani sighed as the last guard fell. They looked at the lifts traveling above them.

"Which one do we take?" Yuffeth asked.

"Touch the crystal," Strifer read. He reached out his hand and a lift floated down to them.

"All aboard," Bergljot sighed. They gathered and were taken up to the next level where a flight of steps met them. There was one last flight of stairs to a lift.

"This is rather large," Sephiroth pointed out as they got on. The platform moved slowly to the left when rain began to fall.

"This is just great," Bergljot muttered bitterly. They gathered in the middle and shivered as the rain got heavier. Even Sephiroth and Gwandoya were wrapping their cloaks tightly around them. The lift jerked suddenly and came to a stop between the loading and drop-off points.

"What happened?" Ken'ichi asked. He held his sword ready.

"I really don't like this," Yuffeth whined.

"Oh, no!" Anselm gasped. Six guards were climbing into the basket.

"Leave us alone!" Gwandoya growled. He slammed one of the guards off the lift and down into the rising falls. He thought he heard a crack a few seconds later.

The guards were knocked off the platform one-by-one until one was left. Sephiroth and Leilani charged at him at the same time. Unfortunately, Sephiroth had more force behind him to push the guard off.

"Sephiroth, help!" she screamed. Leilani gripped the edge as hard as she could, but the rain made the metal too slippery. Her fingers slipped. "AH!"

"We got you!" Sephiroth cried. He and Ken'ichi grabbed her arms at the exact moment they slipped and dragged her onto the basket.

"You okay?" Ken'ichi asked as she knelt and trembled.

"I think so. How do we get moving again?"

"The crystal," Bergljot nodded. Strifer laid a hand on the gem and the transport continued on. They arrived at the next platform with no incident. They went down a set of stairs into the castle and another stop.

"Finally, we're dry," Gwandoya muttered as he rung out his cloak. "No guards here. You think he's given up?"

"No way. Stay on your toes, everyone," Strifer sighed. They approached yet another crystal and took the elevator to an upper level. "Out we go again."

There were no guards out there, but there was one more jewel. They took it to the floor above them. Thirteen guards waited for them.

"I told you so," Strifer smirked as they attacked. These monsters were also thrown over the edge. "I hope we get through this soon. I'm getting tired."

Each member of the group silently agreed. Strifer looked at them seriously.

"Bergljot, I know you're the leader, but I have an order and need to address all of you. When we find Angra Mainyu, I want to fight him alone. He killed my father. It's my duty to avenge him. This is something I have to do," he explained. The group was looking at him sadly.

"If that's what you want," Bergljot replied. "Now let's go get him. Where now?"

"We go through that portal," Strifer pointed. "Then, we go through the lift stop. There's a passage on the right side of that platform. We go through there, go up two small platforms, walk through one more passage, go through the stop one more time and I think he'll be in one of the two rooms after that."

"Let's go," Sephiroth sighed. They hurried through the lift to the other side of the area. Eighteen guards were standing alert. They were the toughest group yet. The heroes had to sit down when the last was slain and regain their energy for five minutes before continuing.

"You're kidding," Anselm gasped as they saw five more enemies laying in wait. They were easier, but the group still wanted nothing more than to lie down and rest.

"We can't rest now," Bergljot urged when everyone else voiced this request. "How do you think I feel? Until this time last week, I was carrying two children inside me. I couldn't fight for six months without fear of premature labor. I'm weaker than all of you, yet I feel that I need to carry on. You wait if you want. I'm going to get that son of a bitch."

"She's right," Sephiroth nodded. He stood and pulled the others up. "We have a job to do."

The group walked through the portal and destroyed five guards that turned away one second too soon.

"Heal party," Anselm muttered. The group was filled with renewed strength as they traveled through the final portal. Each had a sense of impending doom.

"Lord have mercy on us," Leilani gasped loudly. No less than fifty guards were gathered in the room. They turned at the noise.

"The intruders have returned!" one of them hissed.

"Destroy them!" called another. They charged with a deafening yell.

"We are so screwed," Yuffeth muttered in fear. They ran at the wall of black and were suddenly engaged in battle with at least seven guards per team member.

"There are so many," Bergljot gasped. She was tackling three guards. She had already taken down fifteen.

"They just keep coming!" Sephiroth called. He was right; there were many more now than there were when the fight began.

"Bergljot, I have an idea!" Gwandoya yelled. "Use Anima!"

"Right! Where is she?" Bergljot muttered. She pulled out the marble for Anima and rushed to the end of the room where there were no guards. She took the blades and made the circle. "Help us, Anima, o mother of Seymour Guado…"

Bergljot and the other creatures in the room were thrown back by a powerful shockwave. A chain with a claw on it came down from the ceiling and landed in the middle of the circle. As it went under the ground, blood spurted out. The chain became taught and began pulling something up. A head that was wrapped in a white cloth came first. One bleeding eye and several spines on its head and chin were visible through it. It also had a fanged mouth. Two blue halves of what looked like a shell were connected to the sides. Her arms were chained and crossed over her chest. Her body was stuck in the ground. The chain disappeared as she roared loudly. A necklace with a large pendant adorning Anima's human self was hanging from her neck. Two dismembered human arms held the accessory in place. The guards stared at the monster. After a few seconds, she roared again. The guards forgot about the battle and ran around in fear. Some were even yelling something about the devil and angel of death.

"Anima," Bergljot called. "Use Pain until all of the guards have been hit! Everyone else, get over here!"

Anima growled and her eye began to glow. The rest of the team joined Bergljot's side. Anima's head jerked back and hit the guards with invisible beams. Some guards were knocked over by the force. Strifer noticed one such creature near them. He placed two fingers on its neck and realized with horror that it was dead. He felt two thumps of a pulse before the blood stopped flowing. Anima's body glowed.

"Anima, stop!" Bergljot ordered. "Finish them with Oblivion!"

"Roar!" Anima cried mournfully. The floor disappeared and they discovered what laid below the floor. Her upper body was attached to another body. This one's white hair was long and the eyes were pitch-black. Its hands were chained together just as the upper half's had been. The lower part broke free of its chains and screeched. If the guards weren't scared before, they were now. The second half began punching the crowd of guards so fast, the team could barely see her hands move back and forth. There was an explosion and a grid flashed for a second. The guards were thrown in the air from the blast, the floor reformed, and the guards landed hard. None of them stood back up.

"Anima, you're dismissed," Bergljot gasped. She was amazed at the raw power Renatus had given her. They all jumped at a sinister voice to their lefts.

"You've destroyed my army, but you'll never get me!" Angra Mainyu cackled. He ran through a hallway.

"Hold on," Ken'ichi sighed as the group began to follow. He slid down the wall and sat panting. "I need to rest."

"Heal party," Anselm said. The group found themselves suddenly reenergized and rested once again.

"Gee, thanks," Ken'ichi replied sarcastically.

"Let's go," Strifer muttered angrily. They followed him into the dark portal.

"So, are the Soul Vagabonds ready to die?" Angra Mainyu laughed as everyone filed into the grand hall.

"It's payback time! You'll pay for what you did to my father!" Strifer called to him. The Gunblade was held ready by his side.

"You challenge me alone?" Angra Mainyu asked happily. When Strifer nodded, Angra Mainyu was ecstatic. He turned to the rest of the renegades. "I hope it does not pain your friends too much when I obliterate you."

Strifer lifted the blade, aimed, and shot at the overlord. Unfortunately, he saw it coming. The bullet whizzed by harmlessly as Angra Mainyu stepped aside.

"Nice try," he chuckled. He began walking slowly towards Strifer.

"If I start losing," Strifer began nervously, glancing at his friends. "I want you all to get out of here. I'm not putting any of you in danger."

"No, Strifer," Yuffeth moaned.

"You're coming with us," Bergljot insisted. "No matter what, we leave together."

"Oh, little boy," Angra Mainyu hissed. "Why don't you come and die like a man?"

"I'm not a boy any more," Strifer growled with finality. He leapt at the lord and swung the blade as hard as he could.

"Ah!" He screamed as the tip connected with flesh. Angra Mainyu retaliated with a fireball. Strifer jumped away, causing the flames to hit a glass case on the wall. "Get back here, you little flea!"

"You've got to catch me first!" Strifer replied. He ran at the man before him and struck with as much power as he could muster. He cut through the skin on the overlord's chest.

"Uh," he gasped as blood poured to the floor. "Is that all you can do to me?"

"What the hell?" Strifer exclaimed. Angra Mainyu was reaching into the cut and pulling out a sword.

"Come and get me, child!" he challenged as the wound healed automatically. Strifer ran up to him, but his Gunblade was met by the larger sword. They stood for a minute in that stance, both men pushing hard on his own weapon. Neither one was about to back down. Angra Mainyu finally let his weapon down. The move was so fast and unexpected, it caused Strifer to slip and fall on the floor. The Gunblade was released from his grasp and landed a few feet away. Angra Mainyu stood over him.

"Huh!" Strifer cried. He rolled out of the way as the sword came down where his neck had just been. He rolled until he reached the blade. Strifer managed to raise it just as Angra Mainyu attacked.

"Give up," he hissed. Strifer pushed him off and slashed with no mercy.

"No way," he replied, wining in pain. Unfortunately, he hadn't noticed the glass from the case. He found several scratches on his arms, face, and chest as he stood. While Strifer inspected his bruises, Angra Mainyu took the opportunity.

"You die tonight, young one!"

"AHH!"

"Strifer!" Yuffeth screamed with him.

"Pathetic that one hit can do so much damage," the lord cackled. He had approached from behind and cut open Strifer's back and side. Strifer crouched on the floor, panting and trembling from the pain. As he turned, the sword came down again. Strifer pulled back a little, but not far enough. Blood spurted out of his forehead.

"He's going to have a scar like Leon's," Leilani gasped when they saw where it hit.

"Uh," Strifer moaned. He turned and, wiping blood from his eyes as he did so, ran outside into the rain. Angra Mainyu began pursuing him while the rest of the group followed, prepared to take down the lord if they had to.

"Oh, little boy," Angra Mainyu teased as he came out onto the balcony. "Can little Strifer come out and play?"

"He's already out," Strifer growled. He leapt down from a small protrusion above the portal and slashed his arms and legs.

"You'll pay, you little monster!"

"That's what you think. That was for the people you've hurt," Strifer hissed. He was pissed at his opponent. "This is for my friends."

He came down on the dictator's hand and watched as it detached from the arm. It still gripped the sword as the appendage fell to the ground below. Strifer walked up to Angra Mainyu, pushing him back until he was on the edge. Strifer grabbed his collar, picked him up and held him over the edge. The lord pleaded for his life.

"Please, Strifer, I beg of you. Have some mercy. I am only an old man. You wouldn't" -he looked behind him at the ground below and gulped- "drop an old man off of a balcony to his death, would you?"

"No," Strifer said after a moment. His friends looked at him oddly as he set him back down. Angra Mainyu sighed. Strifer had an odd glint in his eyes as he raised the blade high.

"Huh?" Angra Mainyu gasped.

"But I would put him through the same pain he inflicted on another. This," he growled as he spun the blade, "is for my father."

There was a crack of thunder and flash of lightning as the blade sliced through the lord's neck. Strifer watched as his body fell to the falls below, the head lying next to his feet. He stood and looked at the sky. The clouds were dispersing a short ways off. Rain soaked Strifer's hair and face as he gazed at the moon and panted.

"You've been avenged," he whispered. He turned from the moon, stood on the edge, and held the blade limply at his side. The moon illuminated his bloodstained face.

"Lord Strifer," Yuffeth knelt. The rest of the patrol followed. Strifer looked at them oddly.

"What…"

"You've destroyed our oppressor," Ken'ichi explained. "That makes you the new lord of Itziar."

"I don't know how to lead a city. A small band, yes, but…" he sighed and looked back at the full moon. "I will try my best."

=============

"Where's the keyhole, Strifer?" Bergljot asked.

"Up the stairs," he read as they followed his directions, "and through that portal."

"This one?" Anselm asked. The group walked through to find a room covered in rainbow-colored plasma. There was no way to tell the walls from the ceiling or the floor.

"There!" Yuffeth pointed. A large keyhole outlined with blue dust was on the other end of the room. Bergljot approached and raised the blades.

The blades came down and the lasers went into the hole. There was a click, and a key chain and marble popped out.

"What does this do?" Yuffeth asked, picking up the chain. It was shaped like a lion head.

"Let me see," Bergljot demanded. She put it on the gold blade. It turned white and shortened. The teeth became a copy of the chain and the handle was split into two halves.

"That's the blade Leon gave Sora," Strifer explained. "What Summon gem is it?"

"Bahamut," Bergljot read.

"What up with them?" Yuffeth nodded.

Sephiroth and Leilani were staring at each other with odd expressions on their faces. He finally sighed and shook his head.

"No. I won't kill you again."

"Sephiroth," Leilani whispered. "If you really cared about me, you'd want me to be happy and at peace. Please, do this for me."

"I won't do it," he insisted.

"If you don't fight willingly, I'm going to make you."

"Fine," Sephiroth muttered angrily. He avoided looking at her as he laid a hand on Masamune. "I'll do it."

"If anyone interferes, you're going to get mixed into the fight," Leilani warned as she pulled out her staff. "You're going to have to take both of us alone, every man for himself."

"Leilani…" Ken'ichi whispered.

"I'm sorry," she replied. She and Sephiroth turned to each other and stared, neither one wanting to make the first move.

"Don't make me do this," Sephiroth pleaded.

"I have to," Leilani ran up to whack him with her staff. Sephiroth knocked her out of the way.

Leilani got up and stood perfectly still. She began to breathe softly and her eyes closed. When they opened, they were glowing with white fire again.

"She can't do that again! The effort alone will kill her!" Ken'ichi gasped.

Sephiroth stared. He hardly even notice when she came after him, stepping aside just in time. He ran to her and slashed with the great sword, but she leapt above him. She shot a beam of light out of the staff, but Sephiroth made a shield with his hands. It bounced harmlessly off.

"Leilani, stop! You know you're going to die sometime! Why not wait?" Sephiroth hollered.

Leilani didn't listen. She merely jumped up and came down upon him. He blocked with Masamune and she was thrown to the floor. He charged and brought his sword down on her. She rolled away and stood. Leilani held her staff in front of her as Sephiroth slashed again. They blocked and attacked continuously. Finally, Leilani let her guard down. She blocked in such a way that her body was left unprotected. One well-placed thrust of his sword went through her stomach, just above her old wound.

"Uh," she gasped. Sephiroth pulled out the weapon, her blood covering it. Leilani returned to normal as she fell to the ground. Sephiroth caught and held her.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. I wanted it this way," she moaned.

"I'm going to send the guards we killed and Angra Mainyu to the Farplane," Bergljot said. "I'll send you, too, if you want."

"Not yet. You need a staff to perform one. Take mine," Leilani whispered. She rolled her staff along the floor. Bergljot picked it up. "Send the others first. I want to have a few minutes with Sephiroth."

"Okay," Bergljot agreed. The group followed her, Sephiroth carrying Leilani to the grand hall and setting her down gently. They were silent for several minutes.

"Can you hear me?" Sephiroth asked.

"Yeah. I've never seen you cry. Why are you starting to now?"

"I told you the other night," he said as tears rolled down his face onto hers.

"You didn't cry when you killed me the first time."

"Yeah, I did. I was crying on the inside. I also cried when I left the church. I couldn't let Cloud see that. Not after all he's seen of me."

"You taught him well. He was a great fighter," Leilani smiled. Sephiroth held her hand as Bergljot and the group walked back in.

"Are you ready?" she asked quietly. Leilani nodded weakly.

"Thank you, Sephiroth. Please, help them as much as you can to banish the darkness."

"I will. I promise."

"I have to send you now," Bergljot said sadly.

"Go ahead."

Bergljot spun once with the staff, stopped, and twirled it above her head. She turned the opposite direction and repeated the steps. She continued dancing, the steps becoming more complex than the one before. Leilani smiled softly before a pyrefly flew from her forehead. She exhaled one last time before becoming limp. Bergljot finished the dance and they all watched the light go through the floor and into what they knew would be the Lifestream. Sephiroth kissed her lips before standing and laying her body down on the floor. He looked at her and trembled with tears that he didn't want.

"I told you not to make me do that," he sobbed, hands clenched in fists. "I hate you, Aeris."

"Sephiroth…" Bergljot whispered. She tried to hug him, but he shoved her away.

"Don't touch me!"

"I'm sorry. Here," she sighed, handing the staff to him. "You can have the staff."

"No. I don't want to remember her."

"If you're sure, then I'll give it to Ken'ichi."

"Thanks," he nodded as he took it. "Let's go bury her and tell the people of the town who the new leader is."

"Burn the body," Sephiroth muttered.

"What?" Gwandoya said.

"Burn the body."

"No. Sephiroth, I'm the ruler and I say we bury her," Strifer ordered. Sephiroth shook his head.

"If you won't burn her, I will. Firaga!"

Sephiroth cast a fire spell on her body and everyone watched in shock as she was engulfed by flames. They stayed and watched her clothes blacken and skin char. Sephiroth kept recasting the spell until there were only ashes in her place.

"I'm leaving," Sephiroth snapped, tears trickling down his cheeks. He turned on his heel and began to walk swiftly to the castle gates, the rest of the group watching him in shock. They were the first people in history to ever see the great Sephiroth cry.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sniffle Sad ending… If the ending seems similar to that of Final Fantasy X, it's probably because I beat the game again today right before writing the ending and was inspired. It's one of those endings you hate but love at the same time. Yeah. So. Anyway. Oh, and this Anima _is_ the Aeon, not the Anima from my other story, _For the Love of an Angel_. Please read if you haven't yet! No spoilers in it, either! And just so everyone knows, the two stories are not connected in any way, shape, or form except for Sephiroth and the reference to two 'past loves.' Thanks to everyone for reading. Please note that I do not own the Gunblade. I wish I did, but I don't. Also note that the description of Anima is not 100 percent accurate as I was too lazy to write details from the game and could not find a decent picture on the Internet.


	21. Strifer's Banquet and Prapat

****

Chapter XX

Strifer's Banquet and Prapat

"The robes look good on you, Strifer," Yuffeth smiled.

"They're so big," he griped. Strifer had gone through a chest of his ancestor's clothes and found a set of robes. The entire outfit was black with trimmings of silver. A large, silver lion head was shining on the back of the coat. Unfortunately, Strifer was the smallest member of his entire family tree and the robes were two sizes too large.

"Strifer, the banquet will start in just a few minutes," Bergljot reminded him. "You'll just have to get used to it."

"I guess. Anselm, are you sure you don't know any spells to shrink this?"

"I've told you five million times. No," Anselm shook his head. Strifer had asked that question every other time he opened his mouth.

"I guess I better go out there, huh?" Strifer grinned. He was nervous about addressing the city and didn't really know what to do.

"We'll go down together," Ken'ichi sighed, patting his friend on the back.

"Would you be offended if I stay here?" Sephiroth asked, his arms crossed over his chest. His teammates stared at him. Without turning from the window, he explained. "I don't feel well, nor belong down there. Especially not after killing her."

"Yes, you do," Gwandoya insisted. Strifer held up his hand to silence the group as they began to add to Gwandoya's statement.

"Silence, all of you. Sephiroth, please. You have every right to attend this dinner. You helped us take down the guards and put her to rest. She wanted that so badly. I'm not going to force you, but I would like you down there."

"Then I'll go, but I would appreciate if nobody speaks to me during the meal," Sephiroth whispered. He stalked out of the room and made his way to the grand hall for dinner. His onyx wing twitched as he disappeared down the hall.

"He's taking the loss really hard, isn't he?" Bergljot muttered when he was out of earshot.

"I never thought he was capable of loving anyone," Ken'ichi sighed. "You're not taking Gemini and Genesis to the dinner, are you?"

"Of course," Anselm shrugged as he picked up his daughter. "The whole town's there, so nobody can baby-sit. What do you want us to do, send them to the Farplane for safe keeping?"

"Oh, don't even joke about that," Bergljot shuddered as Gemini began crying. "You guys go on down. I'll be there as soon as I feed them."

=============

As Strifer entered the dining hall, the city silenced. Even though nobody knew who the new leader was, they seemed to get the idea from the elegance of his clothing. With a deep breath and loud gulp, Strifer approached the head of the grandest table and stood on the chair, as he was somewhat short.

"Citizens of Itziar…" he began. He sighed before continuing. "Angra Mainyu has been assassinated. We are no longer going to suffer by his family's hand. I have taken it upon myself to lead this world from now on."

"Why can't we choose the leader? And how do we know you're telling the truth about that jackass being dead?" somebody yelled from the crowd. Strifer leapt off of his chair and approached the speaker. He happened to be one of the town drunks.

"You want proof?" He asked. With a snap of his fingers, a sack was brought to him. "Here's your proof."

Several people screamed, including the drunken man, when Strifer reached into the bag, pulled out a bloody object, and proceeded to throw the severed head of the late lord at the drunk and his date. They both fainted promptly.

"As you can see, I can be ruthless. I guarantee, however, that I will only rule by force if necessary. I promise that within five years, the city will be grand and completely rebuilt. As I am the one that killed him, tradition requires that I take his place. From when people first began assassinating leaders, the killer has taken the place of the overthrown. If you disagree, I suggest building a Gummi Ship and leaving this world."

The town stared in silent agreement. Every citizen was a friend of his family, save the police, so they all knew that Strifer spoke the truth. Strifer stood back on his chair and continued.

"I have another announcement to make. All of us knew Leilani Gainsborough. I'm sure we all loved her and respected her. Citizens of Itziar," he paused, glancing to his left. Sephiroth bowed his head and shut his eyes tightly. "Leilani was killed in the fight with Angra Mainyu. Her body was burned after she died. She will be greatly missed. Please, keep her memory in your hearts. If no one forgets her, she will continue to live."

"Thank you," Sephiroth whispered just loud enough for Strifer to hear him. He had been afraid that Strifer would tell the people who really killed her.

"I have one more thing to say before we eat. I would like to introduce four people that played an important part in this fight. They are new to our world, but I now declare them citizens of Itziar and they will be welcomed with open arms anytime they return. Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce Bergljot Skylar-Hammond, Anselm Hammond, Gwandoya Hammond, and Sephiroth Diggory as the newest citizens of our world," he signaled for them to rise as the crowd applauded. Sephiroth looked shocked at the name that followed his. Strifer leaned to him. "People would get too curious if I said only your first name, so I gave you a last."

"Whatever."

"I would ask any sculptors to please come to me tomorrow and we shall discuss statues for them. Now, if every one will be seated, we can begin to eat."

The hall had never seen such activity before. People were getting up and around to talk to others while waiters served the food to each table. The group was sitting at the only rectangular table and had their food sitting right there. Sephiroth was the only one that didn't join the celebrations. He merely sat and ate quietly. Bergljot finally tried engaging him in conversation.

"How have you liked being around new people?"

"Fine," he replied, not looking up. Sephiroth's bangs were hiding his bowed face.

"You really seem to like the twins. I think they like you," she smiled.

"That's nice."

"Sephiroth, come on. This is a party. You're supposed to be having fun. At least smile a little," Bergljot insisted. She laid a hand on his shoulder.

"It's only been two days. Why should I be having fun?" he muttered as he turned to her. A couple of tears trickled down his face. He stood as he closed his eyes tightly. "I can't eat anymore. I'm going upstairs."

"But…" Bergljot silenced. She knew that she would never change his mind. She knew he was lying about being full, too. Sephiroth had barely touched his food, and his stomach had released a loud growl as he rose. He disappeared in the crowd seconds later.

=============

Sephiroth sighed as he gazed out the window. He had sat up on the sill for an hour, listening to the wind and laughter from downstairs. The moon was partially blocked by clouds. Sephiroth finally tuned out the sounds, closed his eyes slightly, and meditated. He wished that he could remain like that forever, oblivious to the world surrounding him.

He was brought back by a loud uproar from the hall below. The people seemed to be extremely happy about something. Sephiroth sighed and stood. He climbed up the castle, back to the level where he had killed Leilani. He sat on the edge of the platform outside and gazed at the moon again. The noises from downstairs were carried away from him. Sephiroth stretched out on his back, began meditating again, and finally dozed off. A few hours later, Sephiroth awoke and realized that it was deathly quiet out there. A few stragglers were leaving the palace to return home. He sat up with a loud yawn. Sephiroth looked up at the stars and became teary eyed again.

"I'm so sorry, Aeris," he whispered, even though no one could hear. "I never wanted to kill you. I wish you were still here."

He finally began humming to himself, words forming in his mind. Footsteps behind him made Sephiroth turn around.

"You okay?" Bergljot asked as she sat by him.

"Yeah," he muttered. He brought his knees to his chest and curled into a ball. He nodded at a small package in her hand. "What's that?"

"I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you a little of everything."

"Thanks," he sighed as he took a bite of the bread. "I heard them cheering about something. What was it?"

"Strifer convinced me to sing for them. I think I'll get Black Phoenix back together after the light comes and give a concert for the people."

"Black Phoenix? Is that your group?"

"Yep. I heard you humming. Anything good?" Bergljot looked at him sideways.

"Not really. If I come up with a good idea, I'll let you know."

The two of them sat silently for several minutes, Sephiroth slowly chewing his food. Bergljot noticed something odd in his pocket.

"What's this?" she asked, pulling out the item. It was about the size of a summoning stone and black. There was a name printed in silver on it. "Me-"

"Don't touch that!" Sephiroth snapped in a panicked tone as he realized what she had. He snatched it away and pocketed it. "Never touch that again!"

"No wonder you knew what that thing was. You're the master of Meteor."

"Yeah. Promise me something."

"What?" Bergljot asked curiously.

"I hope it doesn't come to this, but if I ever have to summon it," he said, "please, get off the planet with no arguments."

"Isn't there a way for you to summon it without actually being on the planet? Can't you say 'Meteor, obliterate Ogden' or something like that?"

"No," he shook his head angrily. "Summoning this is like an Aeon. I have to be nearby."

"So summon it on the planet and leave with us. I saw how slowly it travels through space," Bergljot pointed out.

"But when it's finally summoned, it travels to the planet at nearly the speed of a traditional summon."

"I refuse to leave you behind on any planet," Bergljot whispered. She wrapped an arm around him and laid her head on his shoulder. Sephiroth didn't push her away this time. "We love you. You know that, right?"

"I know," he said in a voice just barely above a whisper. Bergljot couldn't see the tears that formed in his eyes at those words. _Nobody's told me that since Kalliope died_.

"Let's go downstairs. We're going to leave tomorrow."

=============

"We're ready," Anselm called the next morning. The others were saying their final goodbyes.

"Congratulations, Strifer," Bergljot smiled as she hugged him. She turned to hug Yuffeth, but couldn't get her off afterwards. "Let me go. I'll be back, don't worry."

"Sephiroth," Ken'ichi muttered. He scratched the back of his head nervously. "I know we got off to a pretty bad start. I'm sorry. But I'm glad you killed her. She wanted to fight you for a long time. You don't know how happy you made her. Thanks."

"You're a lot like Cloud. I only hope we don't fight like he and I did."

"Keep them safe, or we'll have to," Ken'ichi smiled. He stuck out his hand. Sephiroth took it and they shook hard.

"Hey, guys," Gwandoya called from the ship. "We need to get going before the twins get riled up."

"Bye everyone!" Bergljot waved as she and Sephiroth disappeared into the ship. They were heading to the next world moments later.

=============

"Where are we going now?" Bergljot asked when they were in the map a short time later.

"I'm looking, give me a second," Anselm muttered as he searched the stars. Ace had set up the map so Anselm could access it after Gwandoya went blind. He finally found the light and put it in the sphere. "Bring lots of water."

The world was barren and seemingly hot. There were four large oceans that sent small rivers through the two continents. A single small settlement was in the middle of the larger continent.

"A desert world," Sephiroth concluded. "Should be easy."

"It's called Prapat and the queen is named Rhiannon."

"How long until we get there?" Gwandoya asked.

"About two days. Enjoy the trip," Anselm smiled as he replaced the world. He and Gwandoya returned to the cockpit while Bergljot and Sephiroth stayed behind to check on the babies.

"Did you tell them about the…" Sephiroth glanced at her nervously.

"No. I respect your privacy," Bergljot replied as she held her son. Sephiroth looked at him and smirked.

"They're actually kind of cute when you get used to them."

"You're right. What's that?" Bergljot asked suddenly, directing his attention to a notebook by the bed. A picture of Meteor adorned the cover.

"Nothing," he said hurriedly, but she was already handing the child to him and flipping through the pages. "What was all that you just said about respecting my privacy?"

"One thing you have to learn about me is that I don't give a crap when it comes to reading what others have written or admiring what others have drawn," she muttered. Sephiroth chuckled as he laid Gemini in the basinet. Bergljot looked at him as he sat by her. "Are these songs that you came up with?"

"Yeah," he whispered, blushing horribly.

"They're so depressing."

"You don't know anything about my past. If you did, you'd understand."

"Have you ever tried to set them to instruments?"

"No, they're just random thoughts," he shrugged.

"If you'd let me, I could give music to some. I'm used to figuring out tunes for random songs," Bergljot requested.

"Okay," Sephiroth nodded.

"This one's not too depressing," she said. She cocked her head and hummed a little.

"That one?" Sephiroth pointed. "That's the one I was humming last night. I was thinking more along the lines of this."

He began humming the same tune as the night before.

"I'll do my best to write some music. I'll need something to keep me busy the next couple of days, anyway."

"That song is the only one you have permission to work on right now."

"Fine. Let's go get something to eat. I'm starving," Bergljot moaned.

"Me, too," Sephiroth agreed. His stomach growled in unison.

=============

"I'm getting tired of being a mother," Bergljot complained. She had been woken up four times the previous night. She stifled a yawn as Gwandoya walked into the cockpit. He laughed when heard her unsuccessful attempt.

"Another good reason you never should have done it," he smiled. He stretched and began talking to his brother quietly.

"How much longer?" Sephiroth asked as he walked in.

"We should have been there yesterday," Bergljot shrugged. She turned to Anselm. "Are you sure we're not off course?"

"Pretty sure," he said slowly. As he did, a planet loomed in front of them. "Told you so."

"I'll get the twins so we can land," Bergljot announced. She came back seconds later. Anselm directed the ship towards the planet and landed carefully.

"My god," Bergljot gasped as she walked into the hot sun. "I think we may want to change."

She took a moment to look at the group. They all wore black in some way; Gwandoya and Sephiroth's cloaks, Anselm's pants, Bergljot's entire outfit, and her heavy cape didn't help. They went back into the ship and remerged in what could have passed as bathing suits. The guys were wearing shorts and vests and Bergljot wore a halter-top that covered less than half her stomach and shorts that barely came halfway down her thighs. Nobody was willing to wear shoes. The twins were safely curled up in a pouch on Bergljot's back.

"This is why I wish we had brought Ace or Alpha. They could have taken care of Gemini and Genesis while we're out on the world. Do we all have water?" she asked. They all held up sloshing pouches and began walking north. They were walking for four hours before anything happened.

"Stop," Bergljot panted, falling to her knees. "I need to rest."

"We have to find a town. There's got to be one here somewhere or the Heartless wouldn't be interested. We've got to keep moving," Anselm insisted, pulling her to her feet.

They continued for three more hours, but their bodies screamed for rest. Their skin was shining with sweat, and they eventually began leaving slight trails of it behind them. They used up the water quickly, trying to keep themselves, Gemini and Genesis hydrated. It took five minutes for Bergljot, Anselm and Gwandoya to realize that Sephiroth was no longer with them.

"Sephiroth?" Bergljot called when she realized that he was gone. She gazed behind them and saw a patch of black and silver on the ground a short distance away.

"Sephiroth!" Anselm yelled as they ran over to him. Gwandoya shook him, but Sephiroth didn't move. He laid face-first in the ground and sweat was pouring off of his body in buckets.

"He's fainted. Great," Gwandoya sighed. He sat in the sand and panted. "I don't blame him, though."

"Roll him onto his back," Bergljot said. "I still have some water left."

"That's the last of it, though," Anselm pointed out, his mouth drying at the mere thought of no water.

"If it'll keep one of us alive, I'm willing to use it up," she said finally. She brought Sephiroth's head onto her lap, pried his mouth open, and poured the last of their water into it.

"Hmm…" he moaned as he swallowed. Sephiroth coughed a little and sat up. "What happened?"

"You passed out. It's this damn heat," Gwandoya snarled. "I hope we get to town or at least a river soon, or else we're going to die of heat exhaustion and dehydration."

"What?"

"Bergljot gave you the last of our water," Anselm explained. Sephiroth looked at her in disbelief. She was standing on a dune and gazing around at the expanse of sand. She squinted and looked at the group.

"I think I see a river. Let's go," Bergljot said. Sephiroth grabbed her arm as they started off.

"Thank you, but you should have left the water for them," he nodded at the babies.

"We're near a river. We can get more there," she replied. She turned and followed her husband and Gwandoya, leaving Sephiroth dumbfounded that he was actually put before another.

"Sephiroth, come on!" Gwandoya called. He ran to catch up.

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Wow, a chapter that needs no disclaimers or anything at the end. Oh yeah… I don't own Meteor or the black materia. If anyone wants to give them to me, I'll gladly accept either… anyone? Oh, pooh. How about a Sephiroth plushie? No? Aw… For those of you who are not reading my FF7 fic (meanies!), I'll be gone from the 24 of July to the 7 of August, so you'll have two weeks free of my wrath. I'll try to update each story once before I leave and I'll try to work on them while I'm gone so I can update ASAP after I return.

Review!

NINJA MAGE


	22. Sandstorms, Caravans, and Prophetesses

****

Chapter XXI

Sandstorms, Caravans, and Prophetesses

"Now what, fearless leader?" Anselm asked angrily. They had gotten to the place where Bergljot swore she saw water, but there was only a shriveled skeleton. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, but only got it sweatier. His hair had long ago lost its spike, and it was now plastered against his scalp.

"Well, I thought it was water. Everything in this desert looks wet from the waves of heat," she gasped. "I say we rest and think."

"You should have left me there," Sephiroth sighed. He sat in the sand heavily.

"I told you before that we don't leave anyone behind. That's not the way this team works."

They sat in the sand and tried to think, but the heat and fact of no water resulted in nothing. The babies began crying.

"Do you guys mind? I need to…" Bergljot said bashfully.

"What are you talking about?" Sephiroth asked. Anselm whispered something in his ear, resulting in the reddest blush any of them had seen. He chuckled a little, rubbed the back of his head, and began moving away as he said sheepishly, "I'll be over here."

The men turned away from her and the children and discussed the situation.

"I noticed that we haven't seen any Heartless," Sephiroth pointed out, the red leaving his face.

"Don't jinx it," Gwandoya hissed. "We should hurry and try to find the town."

"Agreed," Anselm nodded. "But how?"

"Follow a caravan," Sephiroth said, standing up and gazing out into the hot sands.

"Great plan. And how do you propose we _find_ a caravan?" Bergljot asked, glancing over her shoulder.

"I see one over there," Sephiroth pointed. They turned and saw a large wagon pulled by two strange animals, the likes of which none of them had seen, but could not get a good look at. It was a good distance away.

"Let's go before we die of thirst," Bergljot hurriedly muttered, struggling to replace the babies on her back and the shirt. They covered only five yards when they noticed that the wagon had disappeared.

"I know I saw it," Sephiroth insisted. He knelt on the ground and pounded it. "Damn this heat. I'm starting to see things."

"Do you hear that?" Gwandoya whispered suddenly. He signaled for them to silence, and they heard a great roaring behind them.

"Oh, shit," Anselm gasped in a voice that was barely audible. Thick, dark clouds of sand were heading right for them.

"Sephiroth, give me six of your feathers," Bergljot ordered suddenly.

"What? Ouch!" he cried. She plucked the long feathers without waiting for his reply.

"I'm making tubes," she explained. Bergljot stripped the feathers, cut off the tops, and blew through them. "Good, they're hollow."

"What the hell?" Anselm panted. Bergljot was tearing five strips of fabric from the pouch on her back. She handed one strip and 'straw' to each of the men and lay on the ground, fiddling with Gemini and Genesis.

"Lay face-up, close your eyes tight, tie the fabric so it covers your mouth and nose, and put the feather in your mouth, but make sure the fabric is between your mouth and feather. The fabric should catch the sand and you should still be able to breath through the feathers."  
"You're a loony!" Anselm exclaimed, but he followed her orders.

They lay on the ground just as the storm hit them. Bergljot had one arm wrapped around the twins while she gripped her husband's hand with the other. The men clasped their hands together as the storm swept over them. Not a minute after they hit the ground, everything went black.

=============

"Momma! Momma! Sticks in the sand!"

"Oh, they must have gotten stuck in the storm, the poor dears. Go get your father."

"Yes, momma," the child called.

"Oh, my," the woman gasped as she dug up the team. They had all gone unconscious.

"What's wrong?" came her husband's voice. He saw the people buried in the sand. "Well, I guess we'll take them to town with us."

He lifted the people, on-by-one, and laid them in the shade of the caravan. He and his wife stared at Bergljot's face.

"Do you think she could be…" the woman asked quietly as they continued to the village.

"Queen Rhiannon will know. If we can get them an appointment with her, that is."

=============

Bergljot is standing backstage with her band. Black Phoenix_ is waiting for its turn to perform at _Battle of the Bands_. Anselm approaches Bergljot._

"So, if you win, you get a record deal?"

"Yeah. The thing is, they don't tell you the results until the next day. I'm not going to be on the phone at all tomorrow, so don't call."

"Good luck," he whispers. The announcer is heard on the stage.

"Next we introduce a local band. They will be performing the song Enter Sandman_. Ladies and gentleman, we bring you, _BLACK PHOENIX_!"_

"You'll be fine," Anselm assures her, kissing her softly.

"Ooh!" the group hoots. She glances at them with a dirty look, picks up her guitar, and goes out onstage with them.

"We are Black Phoenix_, and we are here to ROCK!" she yells into the crowd. The crowd applauses and screams loudly as the group begins to play the song._

=============

The group woke up to cold water being splashed on their faces. Bergljot spluttered as she sat up. She looked around frantically when she realized that her babies were no longer with her.

"Gemini? Genesis?" she cried with a panicked tone.

"They are right over there, sleeping safe and sound."

"Who are you?" Anselm asked.

"My name is Siv," the woman replied. She was sitting by the opening of the caravan. "You are very lucky to have survived that storm."

"I'm Baako," the child next to her replied. He was holding a small jug with a few lingering drops of water in it. Siv stood with difficulty as the Caravan trembled and approached the twins.

"Here are your children, safe and sound," she repeated. Bergljot took Gemini and Genesis and held them close.

"Thank you. Where are we going?" she asked.

"To the palace of Queen Rhiannon," a man said, turning from the reigns. "I'm Posis."

The group was silent for a while. The caravan was filled with goods from salt to cloth to nectar. Posis was sitting in front of a small window, reigns in his hands. He was protected from the sun, and everyone noticed a difference in temperature. Two large animals pulled the wagon. They had six legs, no fur, a long neck, long ears, a long tail, two large horns, and what looked like large boils on their backs, necks, and stomachs.

"They are called bakrs. They are the only animals that can travel through this desert without fear of death. The boils on their bodies retain water, and they eat only salt to help absorb it. Their horns, ears, and tail are large so the heat can escape through them," Siv explained when asked about them.

"How long until we reach the palace?" Gwandoya asked finally.

"Only a few more minutes. I can see it now," Posis told them. They all gathered around the window and saw a grand building a short distance away.

"Put these on!" the small child begged, pushing garments into their hands.

"Those clothes are not suitable for those presenting themselves to the queen. Put these on instead," Siv explained. "We shall arrive when you are ready."

The men were given dark green, baggy pants and white, tunic-style shirts. They were made of a thin material. Sephiroth had difficulty putting his shirt on because of his wing. Baako took out a pocketknife and approached Sephiroth.

"Stay away from me!" he yelled, ready to draw Masamune.

"I will not hurt you. Just show me your back."  
Sephiroth reluctantly turned and allowed the boy to slice a hole in the shirt so his wing could slip through.

"Why does she get such beautiful clothing?" Anselm asked when he saw what Bergljot had been given.

She was wearing a long dress with wide sleeves that sagged when they reached her wrists. It was deep blue with a trim of silver on the wrists and along the edges. The dress wrapped around her body instead of slipping over her head and was pinned shut from her left waist to her knee with five jeweled brooches that where shaped like the heads of the bakrs. The highest two were clipped by the head, but the rest clipped by the horns, making her show a little of her thigh. The 'collar' was gathered just under her breasts and covered just enough to keep her from showing anything.

"Perhaps you will understand after speaking with her majesty," Posis whispered.

"Put on your shoes and we may go," Siv ordered, tossing each of the men a pair of leather sandals and giving Bergljot a pair of silk slippers. They listened to Posis talk to the guards and watched as they checked the back. Anselm thought it odd that they stared at Bergljot the way they did. They spoke to her, ignoring the three men.

"Welcome to the palace of Queen Rhiannon of Prapat, Lady Ramla," the head guard said to her.

"Who's Lady Ramla?" Bergljot asked Siv when they were allowed to pass through the gates.

"You are, milady," Siv said with a note of surprise. "Rather, you are her reincarnation."

"We must stop the carriage here. You will have to walk to the palace. We must go to our shop, so you will be on your own from now on. The palace is on the other end of the market. You cannot miss it, as it is the grandest home here. Tell the guards that you have been sent by Posis the Trader," Posis commanded as he began unloading his wares. He helped them down and went off to his job.

"Good day," Siv and Baako said together. They followed Posis and left the travelers standing in the marketplace. Bergljot held her twins close.

"Let's hurry to the palace. These people are creeping me out," she said nervously. The citizens were staring at her, pointing and whispering to their friends. Anselm laid a cloth scarf over her head and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Ignore them," he whispered.

They walked through the streets swiftly. No one recognized Bergljot right away, for the scarf covered her face. Unfortunately, word had already spread that Lady Ramla had returned, and people shot knowing glances at her as she passed. The group arrived at the palace without being hassled, and passed through the guards easily. A teenage boy met them just inside the gates. He had messy, dirty blonde hair and wore the same baggy pants as the men, but they were black and he donned a tan vest instead of a white tunic.

"Welcome. Please, come with me and Queen Rhiannon will speak with you," he said softly. "Allow me to take your scarf."

"No, please, I would…" Bergljot objected, but he took it away before she could finish. He stared at her.

"So it's true? The prophetess Ramla has risen again?" he asked with joy.

"I'm Bergljot, _not_ this Ramla woman everyone is talking about," Bergljot insisted.

"The prophecy says that you will have no memory of your past life," the boy smiled. "Please, follow me to Queen Rhiannon's meeting chambers."

The boy led them through the palace quietly. The entire building was made of marble and gold. Bergljot stared at paintings and statues that greatly resembled her. Anselm was becoming increasingly edgy as they finally came to the queen's room.

"Her highness, Queen Rhiannon," the servant announced to the group. He bowed them through the door, shut them, and was gone. There was a large fountain in the middle of the room, and a grand staircase was at the back. On top of the stairs was a throne, and in it sat a beautiful woman being fanned by more servants.

"Welcome to Prapat, weary travelers," she smiled as she stood. The woman had tan skin, as all the citizens did, and long, black hair. She wore little clothing for an empress. Her garments could have passed for a bikini. Two pieces of cloth were sewed to the bottom half and covered her legs. Slippers were on her feet, and pieces of firmer cloth were covering her shoulders. A long cape came down from the shoulders, and a large fan framed her head. She began walking towards them.

"Your highness," Gwandoya muttered, bowing before her. The others did the same.

"No need to kneel before me," she explained. Closer inspection revealed her to have heavy, black makeup around her eyes. She stared at Bergljot with a somewhat scared expression. "So you are the woman everyone is talking about."

"Please, your grace, I don't know what your people are talking about. We are from another world, here to free others from the Heartless," Bergljot explained. "They are creatures born of the darkness in people's hearts."

"You are the one the alert was about. A young woman with blue hair sent a message explaining that if any creatures resembling the ones you described arrive, we are to fight them until you get here. I can tell you now, there are no Heartless here."

"Please, enlighten us then. We do not know who this Lady Ramla is," Sephiroth begged.

"Lady Ramla was the last prophet on this world. Shortly after she became empress, the world was in great danger. No one knows what the danger was anymore, but she was the only one who could stop it. Before sacrificing herself, Lady Ramla foresaw that she would someday return. The day she returns is a day which the people of Prapat shall celebrate every year after. She prophesized that she would return when the world was in trouble again, but she would have little or no memory of her past life. After she died, the prophecy was passed from leader to leader. We have been awaiting the day she returns for a long time. You look exactly like her, yet have no memory of Ramla."

"I told you before," Bergljot moaned in exasperation. "We are not from Prapat. We came from a world called Drummond, and we are looking for Heartless."

"There was another part of the prophecy. Lady Ramla shall appear under the sand after a storm accompanied by three men and two babies. One man will be blind, one her husband, and another of the men will be completely different," she added, looking at Sephiroth. "One man will have a single wing on his back, eyes like a cat, and will go by the nickname One-Winged Angel."

Sephiroth took a step back and breathed sharply. He stared at Rhiannon with an apprehensive look. She only smiled.

"Some say that her return shall bode unwell for the people. I do not believe such nonsense. Please, accept my hospitality and feast with me this night."

With that, she turned and left to go to her chambers. The servant that took them there came back, led them through the palace again, and took each of them to their rooms.

"Is there anything I may do for you, milady?" the boy asked Bergljot when he came to her room.

"No thank you, um, what is your name, anyway?"

"I don't have one. None of us do," he shrugged.

"Well, thank you, but I need nothing except privacy," she said, emphasizing the privacy part. The servant left. Bergljot sat on the bed and sighed heavily. A small tiara on the small pedestal next to her bed caught her attention. Bergljot put it on. The crown fit over her head and dipped deeply to between her eyes. It was made of gold and decorated with what she supposed were very precious gems. The babies began crying.

"Okay, I'm coming. So much for privacy."

"Bergljot?" Anselm called into the room.

"Yeah?" she replied over the crying. "I'm kind of busy if you haven't noticed!"

"I just wanted to let you know that Queen Rhiannon wants to see you in her private chambers. Sorry for disturbing you, _Lady_ Ramla."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she yelled. Anselm didn't reply. She laid the children gently on the bed and, looking into the corridor, Bergljot saw him go into his room. She lingered in the corridor. The children were only sniffling now. She found herself hoping that he would come back out. She turned to go back to her babies.

"Milady!" a guard called to her. "Come with me immediately to Queen Rhiannon's chambers!"

"Allow me to feed my children first."

"No. You are to come to her highness' private chambers _now_."

=============

"Anselm, are you okay?" Sephiroth asked when he came back into the room.

"No. I don't like all the attention these people are paying to Bergljot," he confessed. "Since they told her what they think, I think she's starting to believe it. I didn't help, either."

"Go apologize, then," Gwandoya shrugged.

"I think I will."

Anselm was barely out of the room when he heard his wife talking to a guard.

"Allow me to feed my children first."

"No. You are to come to her highness' private chambers _now_," the guard growled. He grabbed her wrist.

"Let go of me," she ordered, pulling her arm away.

"You are to come with me," he yelled, trying to get a hold of her.

"Someone, help!" she began screaming. Anselm barely moved when the guard pulled a small club from his belt and struck her over the head. Bergljot fell to the floor in a heap. The guard picked her up and slung her over his shoulder.

"Leave my wife alone!" Anselm yelled, running towards the guard and drawing his staff.

The guard smiled, pulled a small vial from the belt, and threw it on the floor. Smoke filled the room as Anselm reached him. When it cleared, the guard and Bergljot were both gone. Gwandoya and Sephiroth stood by the door.

"What has happened?" the young slave asked as he ran up the corridor.

"Take us to Queen Rhiannon's chambers immediately," Anselm ordered.

"I am sorry sir, but she has required that all persons avoid the corridor in which her chambers are contained until midnight tonight," he said regrettably. "Any persons seen in the corridor shall be killed on sight."

Sephiroth grabbed him by the collar on his vest and slammed him into the wall. Faces inches apart, he hissed at the servant.

"She has Bergljot, or, as you would call her, Lady Ramla. Seeing as how the guard that is taking her there had the nerve to knock her unconscious, Queen Rhiannon can't be doing anything good to her. If you value your life, you will take us to her by any means possible," he hissed. Sephiroth drew Masamune and held it between them at the boys' throat. "I will say this once and only once. _Take us to her now_."

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Me: The only disclaimer I have to make is that I do not own Enter Sandman. The song is by Metallica. Again, this is the last update for two weeks, so make it last! I'll try to write while I'm gone so I can update once I get back. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Sephiroth: Man, I'm a goody two shoes in this one… You love torturing me, don't you?

Me: Yeppers.

Sephiroth: 'Yeppers'? slaps forehead Oh, brother…

Me: Don't make me get Lulu and Vivi to turn you back into the plushie.

Sephiroth: Hahaha… smiles meekly Got to go! runs back to closet

Me: I'll take care of him later. smiles happily Thanks again for reviews!

NINJA MAGE


	23. Villains of a Sort

****

Chapter XXII

Villains of a Sort

Bergljot moaned and rubbed her head. The lump was already the size of a golf ball. She sat up as Rhiannon entered the room.

"Lady Ramla, what an honor," she smiled.

"What do you want with me?" Bergljot said suspiciously.

"I want to help you remember who you are. See, Heartless have indeed come to this world. It is said that when she saves the world, Ramla will remember everything. However, the prophecy also states that she will save the world with the queen, no one else. I had to get you away from your friends."

"But my children are only a few weeks old. They need me with them."

"No worries. One of the women in the palace will take care of them. She should be arriving as we speak," Rhiannon assured her.

"Thank you, but I'm not interested in fulfilling your prophecy. I have my own to fulfill."

"Pity. For you see, it seems we need each other."

"What do you mean?" Bergljot asked.

"You know how to get rid of the Heartless. I know where they are hiding. You may have noticed that no Heartless were roaming the desert."

"Yes…" Bergljot confirmed slowly.

"Well, That's because they're hiding out near one of the rivers. They have been traveling along it slowly to get here. They should arrive two days from now."

"I will help. My mission is to destroy them, after all. But I'll only do it on one condition."

"And that is?"

"My friends come, too. Prophecy or no. Take it or leave it," Bergljot said sternly. She turned to leave.

"Very well, then. We leave in the morning," Rhiannon sighed.

"No," Bergljot commanded. "If I'm supposed to be this high priestess or whatever, you're going to listen to my orders. We leave tonight."

**NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN**

"Here are her chambers," the slave moaned. He had been struck multiple times for leading them off course.

"Go," Sephiroth told him. The boy did so very willingly.

"Do we bust in or sneak?" Gwandoya muttered. The door swung open immediately.

"What are you doing here?" Bergljot asked. Anselm pulled her to him.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Rhiannon is taking us to the Heartless."

"Are you sure we can trust her?" Gwandoya asked suspiciously.

"I know where they're hiding, you don't. Do you have any choice?" Rhiannon pointed out. Gwandoya shut his mouth. "Let's get going."

"Can you even fight at all?" Sephiroth asked. Rhiannon held up a small dagger.

"I'll get along well enough."

"We have to hurry if we're not going to put the town in danger," Bergljot whispered. She began walking down the hall. Halfway down, a shadow in the corridor ahead startled her. "Hey!"

"Please, ma'am, I didn't do anything wrong!" the slave boy muttered. Bergljot saw slight movement in the pouch on his back.

"What do you have? Show us."

"I was just going to keep them safe, miss," he muttered. Inside the sack were the twins, fast asleep.

"You were trying to kidnap my children?" Anselm asked. Without an answer, he slammed his staff into the side of the thief's head with a barely audible, but still sickening, crack.

"Anselm, cool it!" Bergljot snapped. She helped the kid up. "You're coming with us."

"What?"

"For the attempted kidnapping of the prophetess' children, you are sentenced to act as an expendable party member until the Keyhole to this world is sealed," Bergljot explained. She paused. "From now on, you will be referred to as 'Jof.'"

"Yes," Jof replied nervously.

"Let's go put the twins where they'll be safe before we head out," Gwandoya said. Nodding in agreement, Bergljot took the babies and began walking towards their rooms. When the babies were settled, the team slipped silently out of the castle and into the cool night air of the desert.

**NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN**

"They are rather aggravating. They just won't die," Seymour growled as he watched them arrive at the Heartless-infested river an hour later. Ten people were watching through the pedestal with him.

"Now that they have Sephiroth, they will be nearly unstoppable," Angra Mainyu added. The other nine people were whispering amongst themselves.

"Perhaps Plamen will succeed," a woman in leather armor said.

"But he has no body to take hold of, Xylia," a man clad in white pointed out to her.

"Who asked you, Frigidian?" Xylia snapped. "Enosh, will you be ready to leave soon?"

"I leave this evening," was the reply that came from a dog with blue fur, the hands and feet of a human (save the incredibly long retractable claws on the toes and fingers), and wings.

"They will not survive all of us," a robotic voice said.

"Jin is correct. They vill not live through the eternal night vhen they come to my vorld," a pale, cloaked figure hissed.

"Kettil, do you want some help?" a small, grey creature asked.

"No, you go to your vorld, Aisling, and vait for them there."

"We should all go to our posts soon. They are moving faster than we hoped," a woman with webbed feet and hands gasped. She picked up a glass of water and splashed it on her neck, her gills absorbing it quickly. "I am drying up, too."

"Lyle, prepare to send Derya home as soon as Enosh leaves," Angra Mainyu ordered.

"Of course," a man in an elegant monk's robe smiled.

"Kenshin, how are our defenses?" Seymour asked. Before the man in the kimono could answer, a voice chuckled behind him.

"They could be better."

"How did you get in?" Kenshin snapped. He drew his sword and slashed at the cloaked intruder, but was startled when the man raised a hand and stopped the blade as it made contact. He gasped loudly as the man gripped the sword and flipped Kenshin over onto his back. There was a moment of stunned silence among the group.

"Who are you?" Enosh growled finally.

"I am the one that will help you all escape this Ifa Tree and rule over your worlds and any others you may wish for."

"But vhat is your name?" Kettil asked again.

"My name is Ansem," he said, lowering his hood as he approached the pedestal.

"I know you. We met on the Farplane. You promised me power," Seymour said.

"Yes. And if you will let me, I can give you _all_ more power than you could ever imagine. More, even, for example, than the mighty Sephiroth," he smiled. He brought the image on the pedestal to show primarily Sephiroth. He was slicing ten Heartless at one time with Masamune. Turning, he cast a spell, sending blue sparks at the Heartless tackling Bergljot.

"What is the catch?" Lyle asked.

"I only ask that you do me two favors."

"What are they?" Jin urged him on.

"First, allow my Heartless to run free to lure them to your world."

"What's the other favor?" Frigidian asked excitedly. Ansem only smiled cruelly.

"Well?" Aisling pressed.

"Kill the light-bringers and any who fight alongside them."

**NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN**

"Well, you led us to them," Bergljot sighed. They had taken out nearly all of the Heartless in half an hour. There were more running around, but they were smart enough to flee. "Thank you."

"Anytime," Rhiannon nodded. She looked at Jof. "Go make yourself useful and search the area. If you see anything resembling a Keyhole, tell us immediately."

"Yes ma'am," Jof gulped. He was gone in a flash.

"How long until sunrise?" Sephiroth asked. "We should go back to the palace before it heats up out here."

"We still have a good five or six hours," Rhiannon answered, glancing at the two moons high in the sky.

"How many got away?" Anselm asked.

"I think about twenty," Bergljot guessed. She sighed heavily as a scream a few dunes away startled them.

"Queen Rhiannon! Lady Ramla! I found- ARGH!" Jof screeched. "HELP! IT'S GOT ME!"

"Come on!" Sephiroth called as he began running towards the cries for help.

"Jof? JOF!" Gwandoya yelled. No reply came. They finally came to the location of the screams.

"I don't see him," Rhiannon panted. That moment, the young thief came crawling over the dune in front of them. He stood slowly and stared at them. He walked towards them jerkily, as though he was using his legs for the first time in months. He finally stopped ten feet in front of the group.

"You will not win…" he gasped. With that, his eyes rolled back into his head and he fell to his knees in what was literally a dead faint.

"Oh, shit…" Bergljot gasped. There was a large hole in his back, and a mass of fire was swelling in it. The flames grew to consume the boy. When the body was gone, the flames took the shape of a man, the ashes becoming facial features and clothes.

"You are too late. He is dead as all of you will be shortly," the fire-man said.

"Who are you?" Gwandoya asked.

"Plamen, father of Ramla. I understand that you are her reincarnation," Plamen hissed at Bergljot. He chuckled. "That is impossible. You see, her soul was obliterated long ago. She can never come back."

"What?" Rhiannon muttered breathlessly.

"You're people are so old-fashioned. You believe the false tales of reincarnation and faith. Technology is the only way that is true. That is why I will soon destroy you and become the leader of this word, bringing machines with me. When you are all gone, I will rise as a greater emperor than even my daughter. I will be able to rule a dozen worlds alongside my eleven fellows."

"Deep freeze!" Anselm yelled suddenly. Ice hit the man in the arm, encasing it.

"Humph. A mere ice cube cannot harm me," he chuckled. Plamen enlarged the flame on his arm and melted the ice.

"How about a blade?" Sephiroth growled. He ran up and sliced Plamen's leg off. The fire went out, but a new flame grew in it's place. "Damn…"

"A fire can't burn without oxygen," Gwandoya smiled. He leapt up and brought his shield down on the man. He was trapped underneath while Gwandoya held it down. The shield shook. "What the…"

"Nice try," Plamen growled as the flame under the shield grew, "but not nice enough!"

"Ah!" Gwandoya screamed. He and his weapon were thrown off and landed three yards away.

"Lady Ramla _will_ return," Rhiannon whispered. She charged and slashed at him with her dagger, but the fire only grew back.

"You won't stop us from sealing the Keyhole," Bergljot said in anger. She ran to him and slashed with as much power as she could muster. As soon as she did, a flaming sword greeted her, heating the blades and burning her hands. "Ouch!"

"Bergljot!" Anselm yelled. He ran over and frosted her hands with a thin sheet of ice. Turning away, he blasted Plamen once more with ice.

"No human can defeat the power of fire!" he cried. With that, he shot fire at each of them.

"That's why," Bergljot smiled, "a human is not what you will be fighting from now on."

"What?"

Bergljot winced in pain as she gripped the blades and formed the summon circle. She pulled a small marble from her pouch and whispered to it, "Come Bahamut, king of the dragons."

As the words left her mouth, she watched something fly from the ground several miles away and disappear in the clouds. The clouds dispersed, revealing a large, winged beast blotting out one of the moons. It shot like a bullet and landed in front of her. It was dark blue with a gold stomach, gold claws, and red wings. A large, gold disc was attached to its back. Standing on its hind legs, the beast roared and crossed its arms.

"Bahamut," Bergljot began. "Impulse!"

With a growl, Bahamut flexed his muscles while black balls of energy charged around him. When they were charged, he threw them at Plamen.

"AH!" he screamed. With a burst of rage, he charged and slashed at Bahamut. The beast howled in pain and gripped his side as the blade connected.

"Weakling," Plamen laughed. Bahamut began glowing.

"Okay, Bahamut! Use Mega Flare!" Bergljot cried.

"RAH!" Bahamut roared. He flipped over, landed on all fours, planted his claws in the ground, and the disc on his back began spinning. Electricity began flying as he opened his mouth. He shot a large beam of light at the flaming man.

"No!" Plamen screeched. His flame body was torn apart. This time, no part of his body regenerated.

"Bahamut, you are dismissed," Bergljot sighed. As he disappeared, Bergljot could see the Keyhole in the middle of a rock. "Let's go."

"Hopefully we won't get attacked again," Sephiroth muttered nervously as they passed the ash mound that was Plamen.

"I doubt it," Gwandoya reassured him.

"Stand back," Bergljot said. She raised the blades, the light entered the hole, and the hole disappeared. As it did, a small stone came out. She picked it up. "Ifrit."

"He is a powerful creature, much like Bahamut. His specialty is fire attacks," Rhiannon explained. "Now, I think we should return to the palace."

"One thing is still bothering me," Bergljot said quietly. She looked up at her departing friends. "What did he mean by ruling one dozen worlds alongside eleven others?"

**NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN**

"Plamen failed, too," Seymour snapped. He had watched the battle with growing fury. He turned to Ansem. "It will be nearly impossible to defeat them if they manage to get a hold of any more Aeons. Plus, they have Sephiroth."

"Do not fear," Ansem said.

"How do you propose we destroy them?" Angra Mainyu asked.

"I don't think-"

"Excuse me," a small voice said. They looked around to find a short young man in a long raincoat standing at the entrance to the room. "I may be able to help. I know some things about the Keyblades and Heartless. I will be willing to tell you everything if you agree to give me the same deal as the others."

"You mean, give you more power in exchange for the deaths of the light-bringers?" Ansem asked.

"Yes. I feel I will be an excellent candidate for a double agent," the man said.

"We will see. What is your name?" Ansem requested.

"I am Raj."

"Pleasure to meet you, Raj. If you will, would you leave us for a moment? You will find a dormitory upstairs."

"Of course," Raj agreed. He left.

"You were about to tell us something," Angra Mainyu reminded him.

"I don't think we'll have to worry about him for much longer. You see, know some things of him. He is not as cold and powerful as you may think. I know his weaknesses. One was Aeris, but he seems to have moved on from her now that she is dead. There is still one weakness. It is a secret that Sephiroth has kept hidden from everyone, save a small handful of people. Fortunately, they are no longer living."

"Is it a person?" Seymour asked.

"Yes."

"So, surely he or she is dead. Sephiroth must have moved on from this person," Angra Mainyu pointed out.

"Not quite. He is still getting used to it. Sephiroth has done his best to forget this person, and he almost has. I have a hunch," Ansem grinned evilly. "If Sephiroth sees this person again, he might remember him. Perhaps his love for this person still exists."

"But if he is dead, how can Sephiroth see him? Surely they will have no reason to return to the Farplane," Seymour pointed out.

"I am not talking about the Farplane."

"Excuse me, I was wondering when my transport home will be ready," Aisling asked. Ansem smiled at her.

"You are a doppelganger, correct?"

"That's correct."

"What tricks do you have, exactly?"

"I can change into anyone, as long as I see at least a picture of them," she said, turning into Ansem to prove it. "I can also trick the minds of others into seeing that which is not truly there."

"I think we may have found our solution to our Sephiroth problem," Ansem smiled. He produced a picture from his pocket. "How about this person?"

"I think I can manage," Aisling said, trying this new form. The next voice she spoke with was masculine. "Yes, I think I can manage quite well."

"Excellent," Ansem laughed.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNININJAMAGEGAMAJNININJAMAGEGAMAJNININJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

Me: I'm sorry for not updating in so long! My brain has turned to mush over the summer…

Sephiroth: And don't you start school in another week?

Me: …… Shut up

Sephiroth: Gotcha.

Me: Oh, and the title of the chapter is the title of a song from the Kingdom Hearts soundtrack. I do not own it,

REVIEW REPLIES!

Mediciner: As I said with my other story, I'll read yours ASAP. Sorry! My trip was excellent, thank you.

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Soul Vagabond: Updated! Happy now? Oh, and thank you SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much for making that pin! I know you hate it, but… !!!!HUG!!!!

Sephiroth: ((whispers)) Hey, SV… If you want to borrow the Black Materia to smite her, you're welcome to it…

**Me: **((hands flame)) _What was that???_

Sephiroth: Uh… ((laughs nervously)) Never mind…

Me: But Seymour's back! I told you he would be! (Does that make up for the hug?)

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Master of the Dark Trio: Hehe… 'Olsen twins? DIE!' I love that flash! And Final Fantasy: A plus! Ahem… Anyway, I thought you might like to know (just in case you haven't noticed…) that Sephiroth doesn't scare me one bit. Neither does Ansem or Ganondorf, and I don't even play LoZ (I'm especially not afraid after watching the 'Return of Ganondorf' flash by LegendaryFrog…) But thanks for Reviewing! Good luck with Shane…

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Kizna1200: I was going to have them up to something, but I changed my mind at the last minute and was too lazy to rewrite the last chapter. This one kind of sucks, but oh, well…

Sephiroth: So… Who's this person that's part of Ansem's plan to get rid of me?

Me: You'll see in the next five chapters, give or take…

**Kadaj: **((walks in and looks around)) I guess this isn't the 'Sephiroth Look-alike' contest, huh?

Me: No, this is the part where I tie you up and throw you in the closet! ((grins evilly while using Quistis' whip to tie him up))

**Sephiroth:** I suggest you run away like a scared little girl.

Kadaj: Oh. Okay. HELP!!!! ((starts to run two seconds too late))

**Me: **((ties up Kadaj and throws him in random closet)) Hehehehehe…

NINJA MAGE

P.S.: Are my readers scared now? If not, you should be...


	24. The Plot Thickens

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Chapter XXIII

The Plot Thickens

"Would you mind lending us a wagon to get to our ship?" Bergljot asked the next afternoon.

"Of course you may borrow one! It's the least I can do to repay you," Rhiannon replied. "Is there anything else you need?"

"No, thank you," Anselm shook his head. "We should be off soon."

"I'll send a guard to escort you."

"That would be fine. Oh, but first," Bergljot started. She looked at Rhiannon. "I think you might want to know something. Sealing the Keyhole only prevents Ansem from sending any new breeds of Heartless through. The ones already here will remain and can still make new ones. Protect the city and train your army well. We'll be returning and we'll need it to destroy Ansem once and for all."

"Understood. Your wagon will be ready in a few moments. Good luck," Rhiannon bade them. She turned and left for her room.

"We better go or else the wagon will leave without us," Gwandoya said. He left with Anselm on his heels.

"Bergljot, you coming?" Anselm asked when he realized she wasn't following.

"Give me a minute," she replied, nodding towards Sephiroth. He was staring out the window of the throne room and didn't seem to have heard any of the previous conversation.

"Hurry up."

"Hey, Sephiroth? You okay? You've been quieter than usual."

"Hmm? Oh, sorry. I was just thinking…" he trailed off slowly, never adverting his gaze.

"What about?" she questioned.

"Just things. People," he whispered. Sephiroth shook his head. "Never mind."

"You know you can tell me."

"I said forget it. Let's get going," he said quickly. He turned and left Bergljot standing there, more confused and concerned than she had ever been before.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"Where to next?" Gwandoya asked. They had been in space for an hour.

"A place called Selvaggia. About two days from here," Anselm answered as he studied the map. "All of the residents are… holy crap…"

"What's wrong?" Bergljot inquired.

"Every living thing on the planet is an animal. Remember when that guy on Ogden told us about Seymour and mentioned the Ronso? There are some of those here. There are also Chocobos, whatever the hell they are, and a nameless species."

"Wow. How are we going to fit in?" Gwandoya wondered aloud.

"We don't," Anselm shook his head. "I don't know why Heartless would be interested in this place. There're no humans anywhere."

"Hey," Gwandoya spoke up. "Where's Sephiroth?"

"He went to take a nap when we got onboard," Bergljot explained as she removed the world. "I don't think he's been getting much sleep lately."

"Me neither. I heard him get up several times last night," Anselm told her.

"You think he's sick?" Gwandoya asked.

"I hope not. After my pregnancy, we can't afford to lose any more time. I say full speed ahead to Selvaggia," Bergljot added as she left the room. The men were right behind her. They didn't know that Sephiroth was indeed having trouble sleeping, and was currently struggling to escape the worst nightmare he had dreamed since he was a very young child.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

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How could you let them do that to him? He's your son!

-I know…-

And you just let them run their experiments on him like an animal?

-What was I supposed to do? He was taken while he slept and I was in Nibelheim.-

(Sephiroth stands in total darkness, no light anywhere around him. A cloaked figure stands before him. No features are visible save an inch of the figure's silver bangs and the person's chin and mouth. Both men seem to glow slightly in the black. The other person speaks softly and slowly.)

He is dead, you know. All because you didn't teach him of his heritage. If you had taught him how to survive, he could have been as you: frozen for resurrection at a later date.

-My son deserves better than that. He is nothing like me. I would never wish my life or my ways unto him.-

(The cloaked person bows his head slightly and chuckles.)

That's the last thing I would have expected to hear from your mouth, even in reference to your own child.

(The figure draws a double-bladed sword)

-Who are you?-

Let's just say… an old friend.

(The 'old friend' charges to take a slice out of Sephiroth's arm. As he pulls away, Sephiroth sees a familiar looking necklace around the man's neck. After a moment's shocked hesitation, he pulls out Masamune and attempts to hit the stranger. Their blades clash and, somehow, the weapons shattered. Sephiroth ducks, but the cloaked person is not so lucky; a piece of Masamune becomes lodged in the man's stomach and he falls to the ground in pain. Sephiroth kneels next to him, gently removes the metal and necklace, and turns the pendant over in his hands.)

How could you let this happen?

-I want to know who you are.-

(Sephiroth grasps the man's shoulders to lay him against his leg as a last bit of comfort while he dies. In doing so, the hood of the cloak falls back. Sephiroth stands quickly, allowing the boy's head to hit the floor with a crack. Sephiroth stands trembling with a hand over his mouth.)

-No…-

(The teenager smiles weakly. His short, silver hair frames his face while his green eyes shine with pain before they close. He winces.)

Hell, yes… I knew you were evil, but to allow what just happened…

-This isn't happening. You're already dead. I'm dreaming.-

Yes, you're dreaming. Yes, I'm dead. No, this isn't happening. At least, not yet.

-No…-

(Sephiroth fights the tears beginning to stain his face.)

Yes. The closer you get to me here on Ruya, the worse your nightmares will become.

-No.-

You and I will fight, and one of us will die. The winner will go mad. Again, if you are the one to win.

-No!-

(Sephiroth falls to his knees and stares at the dying child.)

-Why are you doing this?-

(The boy only continues to grin.)

Soon, father. Very soon.

(The body disappears and the air becomes thick. Sephiroth has trouble breathing and hears the familiar yet forgotten sound of a child laughing. As it continues, a deeper, more adult voice joins in. Sephiroth covers his ears and shuts his eyes.)

-Stop this…-

(The laughing continues and grows louder, the child's laugh being that of joy while the elder's is that of triumph. Sephiroth knows deep down who is laughing and why. A person is going to die. A person that stands in the way of another's goal. Yes, he knows that sound very well. He has laughed that way on several occasions himself. Sephiroth begs the owner of the adult voice, although he also knows that the voices belong to the same person.)

-Stop. Please.-

All in good time, Father.

(Both voices respond in unison. A new wave of tears and nausea overtakes Sephiroth as he listens to that all too familiar child's voice again.)

All in good time…

(The floor disappears beneath Sephiroth's knees and he falls into more darkness. High above him, he sees two pairs of green cat eyes staring at him and hears the sound of laughing. He flails around, trying to find a handhold in the darkness. He screams at the boy just before he hits the hard ground.)

-No… No. NOOOO!-

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"NO!" Sephiroth sat up and cried upon waking. He shook severely. Wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, Sephiroth found that he was sweating even more than when he had arrived at Prapat. A loud noise filled his ears, and it took him a few seconds to realize that it was Gemini and Genesis crying. He moaned as he laid back. The door opened and Bergljot walked in.

"Holy…" she gasped when she saw Sephiroth sitting there shaking and breathing abnormally. She ran over to him and laid a hand on his forehead. "My god, are you okay? You're burning up."

"Fine. Just fine," he panted. But he wasn't fine. He was reluctant to tell her what he had dreamed. He took a few deep breaths and closed his eyes. "It's nothing."

"Nobody wakes up screaming for no reason."

"I had a bad dream, okay?"

"It must have been pretty bad for _you_ to wake up like that," she said as she tended to the twins.

"I would rather not discuss it," Sephiroth said in a final tone. Bergljot sighed heavily.

"Gwandoya didn't feel like he could tell me his dreams, either. If you change your mind, I'm here," she said quietly. She hugged Sephiroth, picked up the twins and took them with her to the front of the ship.

"I'm sorry," he whispered when she was gone. "But this is something I alone must handle."

He continued to lie there for a few more minutes before he got up to wash. As he swung his legs out from under the blankets, a small object fell from the depths of the bed. He picked it up without much thought or looking at it and pocketed it. He washed his face and stood trembling at the sink for several minutes, taking deep breaths. He had forgotten the object until he slipped a hand back into the pocket. There were several objects in it: the black materia, some paper, and the object that had fallen out of the bed. Sephiroth gasped and had to grab the sink to keep from fainting when he finally took a good look at it.

It was the exact same necklace from his dream.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"So, how much longer?" Sephiroth asked two days later.

"Should be just a couple more hours. Hey," Bergljot said with a smile. "There are animals there called Chocobo. Any idea what those are?"

"Yes. They're large birds used for transportation and racing. They are usually yellow, but they can also be several other colors, like blue, white, green, pink, red, and purple. The Chocobo that I owned for a short time was black," Sephiroth explained absent-mindedly.

His hand went into his pocket and fingered the necklace. He had kept it there since the day of the nightmare. None of the others knew details about the dream or the necklace. Each night, he took it out and gazed at it. He had no idea how it had come from the dream to real life, nor did he want to know. _How can I have it? I gave it to _him_ when he was sent to me. He should have been buried with it. How can this be?_

"-front of us."

"SEPHIROTH!"

"Huh?"

"Were you even listening to Gwandoya?" Anselm asked. He was the one who yelled. "He said, 'strap in, we've got an unidentified ship in front of us.' We don't know what it is, but it's not a Heartless ship."

"Oh. Right," Sephiroth smiled, removing his hand. He sat deep in thought as the ship rattled towards the new one.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"Phase one has begun, Ansem," Aisling grinned. "I must remember to thank Seymour for going to the Farplane and retrieving the necklace."

"How did he feel about last night's dream?" Ansem asked.

"He was horrified. He's also confused about the necklace. He has no idea how he got it."

"I think your powers of getting into people's heads will prove very, very useful."

"Thank you, Ansem. If you will excuse me, I must prepare our friend's nightmare for this evening," Aisling bowed. She was gone a moment later.

"Lord," Angra Mainyu called from the pedestal. "They will be landing in a few hours. Shall I give Enosh the order?"

"Not yet," Ansem said thoughtfully. "I think, perhaps, we will give them a chance. A hopeless chance, but a chance all the same. Besides, Enosh will not be able to harm them."

"What?" Seymour snapped. "Why did we send him, then? If he's going to die again, what was the point?"

"Patience, Lord Seymour," Ansem said as he raised a silencing hand. "You will understand in due time."

"Why not _now_?"

"You see, I have met and faced them. They were able to destroy my most powerful Heartless, Mukesh. You remember watching that on the pedestal. However, The fight with Sephiroth nearly killed Bergljot. We will wait until they arrive on Ruya. As they get closer, Aisling will give him more, increasingly horrible nightmares. When they arrive, he will be, 'greeted,' shall we say, by that which he has held closest to his heart. With luck, they will fight, Sephiroth will win, and he will once again go mad. With a little more luck, he will lose any feelings he has grown for the light bringers and kill them. Or, even if he still holds those feelings, he will be blinded by grief and anger and kill anyone in his way."

"But if they fight, and Aisling loses," Angra Mainyu asked slowly. "She'll die again, won't she?"

"It is a small price to pay for power. There will still be you, Seymour, the eight others, Raj, and myself. Speaking of the young prince," Ansem said suddenly. "He is en route to the collision point, correct?"

"He's already there, my lord. They will meet in a few moments," Seymour nodded. Ansem smiled, but it soon faded thoughtfully.

"My plan is working perfectly. I only hope that the next couple of phases will be successes."

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNINNINJAMAGEGAMAJNINNINJAMAGEGAMAJNINNINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

Me: Well, I'm getting back in the groove of updates.

Sephiroth: I don't get nightmares.

Me: Yeah, well SHUT UP, UGLY! (Black Mage Rules!) Ahem. Anyway, I don't have any reason to diss my prisoners today (durn), so I'll go on to replying.

****

Soul Vagabond: Okay, I got my trading cable hooked up, and you already sent me my pin. As promised, I give thee Seymour as payment.

Seymour: Erm… I'm not going to like this, am I?

All: BYE, GUADO BOY!

SV: SEYMOUR!

Seymour: ((gulp))

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Mediciner: Okay, now _I'm_ scared of Strike.

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Master of the Dark Trio: You know you sent the same review four times? Are you trying to tell me something?

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Master of the Dark Trio: You know you sent the same review four times? Are you trying to tell me something?

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Master of the Dark Trio: You know you sent the same review four times? Are you trying to tell me something?

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Master of the Dark Trio: You know you sent the same review four times? Are you trying to tell me something?

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Kizna1200: Yes, I did!

NINJA MAGE


	25. AC: Animal Children

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Chapter XXIV

AC: Animal Children

"Hello? Anyone on board?" Bergljot called as she and Sephiroth entered the dark ship. She looked around nervously. "No one's here."

"Don't be so sure. Let's look farther in. Come _on_," Sephiroth insisted. He gripped Masamune cautiously as he walked deeper into the ship.

"We really should stick together," Bergljot called as he disappeared into shadow. With an exasperated sigh, she followed close behind.

"Stop," he ordered, an arm extended to stop her. They could hear footsteps farther down. "There's something up ahead."

"What is it?"

"I don't know. Be quiet."

"Let's go look. We won't find out what it is unless we do," Bergljot insisted. She brushed past his arm into the darkness. "Come on."

"Bergljot!" he hissed. Sephiroth waited a few minutes before a figure showed itself.

"Nice ship, isn't it?"

"Who's there?" Sephiroth gasped, glancing left, then right, and back to his left.

"Behind you," the voice whispered. As Sephiroth turned, the voice hissed again. "Hello, father."

"Huh?" Sephiroth gasped. No one was there. A silver-haired boy suddenly leapt at him.

"BOO!"

"AH!" Sephiroth screamed and jumped backwards. The boy cackled as Sephiroth tripped, hit his head hard on the wall, and fell unconscious to the floor. The flashlight Sephiroth had been carrying rolled to the kid's feet as he faded away.

"Sephiroth? Seph! Are you okay?" Bergljot yelled a moment later. She and a young man quickly approached the limp form.

"He's out cold, but still alive. Let's get him to your ship. He's got a large lump forming on his head," the man said. They picked up Sephiroth and hurried to Bergljot's ship.

"He'll be fine," Anselm assured them a few minutes later. Sephiroth was laying on the bed, oblivious to everything around him. They left him to rest.

"Good. I don't want to lose anyone useful," Bergljot sighed. The stranger muttered something under his breath. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing," he shook his head.

"So what did you say your name was?" Gwandoya asked as the three of them came into the cockpit.

"My name is Raj, and I'm the very great-grandson of King Mickey. I've been searching for you for months. The Heartless have only just come to my world, but without the Keyblades, I was powerless to stop them. Since my kingdom was destroyed, I've been traveling in my Gummi Ship. Unfortunately, in my hurry to escape the shadows, I forgot to bring an extra supply of fuel. I've been floating through space for days," he explained. "Thank you for your assistance."

"No problem," Bergljot smiled. A moan behind them made her turn. Sephiroth was rubbing the back of his head and groaning.

"Ah… what the hell happened?" He looked up at Raj. "Who are you?"

"You hit your head on the wall and my name is Raj," he grinned. His hair was short and black, his eyes were beady and brown, his voice was slightly high-pitched, and he wore a black raincoat. He seemed to be no older than the boy Sephiroth had been seeing. He gazed at the new man suspiciously. Raj extended his hand in greeting, but Sephiroth only nodded in return.

"Hmm," he muttered. Raj lowered his hand, the smile fading slightly.

"So this is the infamous Sephiroth," he whispered. He leaned in close and stared into Sephiroth's face. The angel looked away, chills sliding down his spine. "I've heard about you. How is it you're on the good guys side?"

"You mean your side?" Sephiroth asked.

"Of course. Pardon the slip of the tongue," Raj said hurriedly. Sephiroth only looked at him and made to return to the bedroom.

"Bergljot, I feel an urgent need to speak with you," he said quietly. She nodded and followed.

"You'll have to forgive him. He takes awhile to warm up to people," Anselm apologized to Raj.

"There will be no hard feelings, I assure you," Raj smiled.

"I've never seen anybody so suspicious of others," Gwandoya muttered thoughtfully.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"What's wrong with you?" Bergljot asked angrily. Sephiroth only stood by Gemini and Genesis silently. "He's on our side!"

"I don't like this at all. He gives me a bad feeling. Nobody's that polite," Sephiroth whispered. He looked at her, a hint of fear in his eyes. "I don't want any of us getting hurt. Just don't say I didn't warn you."

"Sephiroth, if something's bothering you, I want you to come to me. Promise me?"

"Yeah."

"Well, is there anything?" Bergljot asked, arms crossed. Sephiroth looked surprisingly close to tears, but he shook his head and brushed past her.

"Nothing at all. Just…" He trailed off before falling silent for a moment. "Tell me something, Bergljot."

"Hmm?"

"Will we be going to a world called Ruya?" Sephiroth turned to face her nervously. She only shrugged in reply.

"Who knows? I don't even know if we'll ever be going back to Drummond, to be honest. Is there something else?"

"Oh. No, nothing more. We should get ready to land soon," he sighed. Bergljot stared at his retreating back and called after him.

"You're a bad liar. You know that, right?" When he didn't reply, she sighed heavily, collected her son and daughter, and followed Sephiroth to the cockpit.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"Your children are so cute!" Raj laughed, holding Genesis so Bergljot could strap in. She looked past his shoulder at Sephiroth and her son. There was no mistaking the glare in his eyes as he stared at Raj and the baby.

"Thanks," she smiled, still staring at Sephiroth. "Hey, Raj?"

"Yes? What's this?" he said in surprise. Bergljot was handing him the gold Keyblade.

"You're a descendant of Mickey and need one, right?" she pointed out. Without another word, she pushed the blade into his hands. She found it hard to ignore the glare Sephiroth was shooting in their direction.

"Ready? I think this is going to be a bit bumpy," Anselm glanced over his shoulder.

"Just get on with it!" Gwandoya snapped jokingly.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"Simply beautiful," Bergljot gasped.

The ride had been perfectly horrible, but the planet itself more than made up for it. The sky danced with stars, more than any of the group had ever seen. The four of them stared up at the sky in awe while Gwandoya stood by quietly.

"Even you have to agree, eh, Sephiroth?" Anselm smiled.

"I must admit. My world was filled with so much light pollution, it made it very difficult for one to stargaze. This is truly a magnificent sight," he sighed.

"We should go," Gwandoya said suddenly.

"Can't we stay a bit longer?" Raj asked.

"No. There're-" Gwandoya began to explain, but growls from the surrounding woods drew them away from him.

"How did you know?" Bergljot asked as they all stood ready.

"I heard them coming."

"GRR," a red-furred, dog-like creature moaned. It leapt out of the woods and charged at Raj. He held the Keyblade parallel to the ground and, when the animal had a hold of it, flipped it over his shoulder.

"RAR!" another beast was crying.

The group looked up at the treetops to find a tall, blue, dog-or-cat-like beast leaping down at them. It had a lance strapped on its back. The monster reared up onto its hind legs and screeched again. The team promptly noticed the broken horn on his head. He expertly drew the lance and pointed at Bergljot.

"Intruders leave. Humans not welcome here. Go now! Cernunnos and Lycou kill if not leave now!" he yelled. The team stood in shock. This was a mistake; the animal became angry and snarled. "Cernunnos say to leave!"

"If you'll please listen! We mean you no harm!" Bergljot pleaded.

"Then why did you draw your weapons?" the red creature asked, circling the humans.

"You scared us!" Anselm snapped.

"Lies!" Cernunnos snapped. With a loud scream, he leapt at Sephiroth.

"Stay off!" he yelled, his blade connecting with the lance. Sephiroth allowed himself to fall backwards onto the ground, thus causing the animal to lose balance. As Cernunnos tumbled, Sephiroth brought his legs up, pushed Cernunnos head-over-heels, and rolled onto his feet in one quick movement.

"Are you okay?" Bergljot asked quickly.

"Look out!" he replied. She turned to find Lycou leaping at her face.

"No!" a voice called out. Everyone looked around to find the source. All they saw was a large, blue bird walking into the clearing.

"A Chocobo," Sephiroth whispered. It pecked at the ground and stared at the two creatures.

"Emer, what are you doing here?" Lycou muttered.

"Cernunnos want Emer to leave these humans to friends. This not your fight."

"Don't hurt them," the bird replied, ruffling her feathers. "What's her problem?"

Bergljot fainted promptly at the sound of the bird talking.

"She's not exactly accustomed to hearing birds speaking the human tongue," Sephiroth said, carefully lifting her from the ground. "Come to think of it, neither am I."

"Put her on my back. I'll get her to our cave," Emer said.

"I think I ought to go, too," Anselm said. "She's my wife, you see."

"I'll go," Sephiroth said immediately after. "I know how to ride a Chocobo, and you don't."

"Perhaps I can help?" Raj spoke up.

"No," Sephiroth replied quickly. He sighed and mounted the bird. "Chocobos generally carry no more than two passengers at a time."

"Emer should be ashamed of self," Cernunnos groaned. "Emer lets strange human ride on back for first time in one century."

"Oh, go chase your tail," Emer squawked. She took off with Sephiroth and Bergljot.

"I guess we get the kids," Anselm said quietly. He looked around. "Where's Raj?"

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"They suspect nothing, master."

"Good. Do you have the blade?"

"Yes, sir," Raj nodded. He drew the Keyblade as proof. "They handed it over before we knew each other for an hour. But… there is still one small problem."

"What?" Ansem snapped. The screen flickered with his anger.

"I think Sephiroth suspects something. He took one look at me and refuses to acknowledge that I'm a team member."

"Oh," Ansem sighed. "Try not to do anything to arouse his suspicions."

"If not too bold for me to ask, sir," Raj began. "How are the preparations for his reunion?"

"Aisling awaits your arrival, so be swift," Ansem replied. They both jumped at the sound of voices just outside the ship.

"Good bye, my lord."

"Remember what I said," Ansem hissed. He was gone from the video the next moment, leaving Raj standing in the dark ship alone.

"There you are," Anselm called. "What are you doing in here?"

"I was just going to get the twins for you," Raj smiled innocently. "I was trying to find a light."

Anselm reached over, found the switch, and the lights flickered to life. The two of them collected the children and began to walk with the feline-like creatures to their home.

"Why do humans suddenly come to Selvaggia?" Cernunnos asked gruffly.

"We come seeking creatures called the Heartless," Gwandoya began to explain. "They steal the hearts of living things. We're on a mission to destroy their leader, Ansem."

"Who is that man with you? The silver-haired one? He said he can ride a Chocobo, but they have not been ridden for a thousand years," Lycou inquired.

"His name is Sephiroth," Raj said absently.

"What?" Lycou growled angrily. He stopped and bared his teeth at Raj. "You take that back!"

"Huh?" Anselm asked, growing very confused. Lycou turned away.

"My very-great-grandfather was supposed to have killed him hundreds of years ago. He helped a man named Cloud Strife to complete the task of saving the planet."

"Cloud?" Gwandoya perked up. "We know his grandson. Please, you must forget about the troubles your ancestors had with him in the past. Sephiroth has completely changed since then."

"We shall see," Lycou huffed, resuming the walk to the cave. The rest followed silently.

**NINJAMAGEGAMAJNINJAMAGEGAMAJNINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN**

**NM:** Finally got an update for both stories at once! (sort of) Hopefully, there'll be more updates for KH:FD now that FF7:FLA is done. This chapters not as good as others (I'm starting to run out of ideas, sorry people), but we do have five new characters to contend with:

1- Cernunnos, the human-hating Ronso

2- Lycou, descendant of Red XIII (Nanaki) and his hate for Sephy

3- Emer, the hyper, fun-loving blue Chocobo (more on that next chapter)

4- Raj, double agent of Ansem

5- the silver-haired boy that's haunting Sephy (Advent Children anticipators should know who he is by now!)

**Kadaj: **So when are they gonna find out who number 5 is?

**NM: ((menacingly)) **Soon, 'Daj. Very soon.

**Kadaj: ((skulks)) **Don't call me that… 

**NM:** Okay, what do ya'll wanna know?

**Master of the Dark Trio:** No problem 'bout the 4 reviews. I just didn't think about that. As for the Dark Trio, no offense, but Sephy and Ansem don't scare me one bit. I, however, have no idea who Adremmelech is, and thus I am afraid of him until further notice. And I hope you liked Emer. She'll have a bigger part later, promise.

**SV:** Well, after today… you know what? I'm not gonna mention it on a public website, cuz I don't wanna get mauled by scissors and claws.

**Mediciner:** Sorry it took so long. I hope I didn't make you made by not updating.**((cowers nervously))**

**Merielle:** If you like stories about Sephy's past, you may wanna check out the fic I just finished (For the Love of an Angel) and my songfic if you haven't already. The songfic is major Seph past, but the other isn't. Actually, I suppose in a way it is… (last chapter explains that one). Please read them, even though they're done!

**NM: **Like I said, the next few chapters should be up sooner. I hope.

NINJA MAGE


	26. Visions

****

Chapter XXV:

**Visions**

"I have never met a talking Chocobo before," Sephiroth confessed. Emer was running quickly through the forest, forcing her rider to struggle to keep a hold of both the bird's blue-feathered neck and Bergljot's limp form.

"Can't… talk… must… run…" she panted. They rode in silence for a few more minutes before Emer finally slowed down. "Almost there. I can talk now."

"As I said, I've never-" Sephiroth was cut off by a mournful howl in the distance. "What was that?"

"I don't know," Emer squawked, moving in an agitated way. The noise was gone almost as suddenly as it had come. "Whatever it was, I don't like it."

"Me neither. Let's get to your camp soon."

Emer began to run again, but she went slower to avoid attention. Whatever made the noise, it was now long gone. A spring shower soon began to pour. They arrived soaking wet at the cave long before the others.

"Thank you," Sephiroth said graciously as he gently laid Bergljot on the ground.

"No problem, man. My name is Emer. What's yours?"

"Sephiroth. This woman's name is Bergljot."

"Why are you guys here?"

"This woman is all that stands in the way of darkness. If she fails in her mission to free the worlds, we will all die," he explained solemnly. "A man named Ansem tried to destroy all worlds over one thousand years ago. He was destroyed by a boy named Sora, but he has been revived and has set the Heartless back into the universe."

"Heartless? What the crap are those?" Emer asked, fluffing her feathers and settling down.

"They are creatures born from darkness in people's hearts. That's why we don't know why they are here. They tend to feed on people more than animals."

"We haven't seen any here. You think that the thing we heard was one?"

"I don't know. Honestly, I just turned to the hero's side. For the past one thousand years, I have been one of the evilest sons of bitches one could ever hope not to meet."

"What do you mean?"

"My past…" Sephiroth sighed, leaning against the entrance to the cave and staring at the raindrops. "… it is a long, long story that I do not wish to relive."

They remained in their places for several more minutes when another scream brought chills down there spines. This one, however, was more terrifying, for they knew who it was, but not why.

"SEPHIROTH, DON'T DO IT!" Bergljot sat up and screeched suddenly. "DON'T DO IT! IT'S NOT WORTH YOUR LIFE! STOP!"

"Bergljot! Bergljot, wake up!" Sephiroth snapped, running over and shaking her shoulders. Her eyes were still tightly shut.

"NO! YOU DON'T HAVE TO DIE! STOP! DON'T SUMMON!"

"Wake up!" Sephiroth yelled. Bergljot stopped screaming and opened her eyes. She looked around blearily, taking a moment to realize who was in front of her. Bergljot abruptly burst into tears and buried her face in Sephiroth's shoulder.

"Oh, my god… thank god it was a dream. I was so scared. Oh, shit…" she sobbed. Sephiroth held her shakily.

"What was it? What did you see?" he asked. He never got an answer; she closed her eyes and promptly fell asleep in his arms.

"What the crap was that about?" Emer inquired, watching as Sephiroth carefully laid her back down. He only shook his head and stroked her face. He brushed his fingers gently over the scar left by Angra Mainyu, almost a year ago now, before Sephiroth became a hero.

"Bergljot? Sephiroth? Are you okay?" Anselm called. He and the others charged into the cave. "Is she okay?"

"She was having a nightmare," Sephiroth said simply. He stood and walked to the entrance. He said nothing more.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

-My child… you have come far.-

"Who are you?"

Bergljot kneels before a short woman in a brown cotton robe. She seems to be very, very old.

-I am the all-knowing eye. Ask me anything, and I will answer.-

"Where are you?"

-I am on the planet Omolara.-

"When will we meet?"

-You still have a ways to go. You have many worlds to visit.-

"Please tell me something. My friend, Sephiroth, mentioned a world called Ruya. What is there?"

-Alas, poor Sephiroth. He lost a beloved one long, long ago. He has not told you of him. Sephiroth still mourns his loss. It seems that your foe has found out about this person. Unfortunately, you are not meant to know any more than this at the time.-

"I understand. When will we learn more?"

-Be patient. You will learn soon enough.-

"Thank you."

-Be warned, young light princess: there is a traitor in your midst. Keep your eyes open. You have met this person only recently, and he has ill feelings towards one specific person in your group. Beware, young one. I hope you will rid yourselves of him before it is too late.-

"Who?"

-That is for you to find out.-

"Don't you know when?"

-Not exactly. I see the choices, and then I am able to see only what may happen if each is chosen. I know not which is the definite outcome. Now, go. Your friends are very worried…-

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"Are you okay?" Anselm asked as Bergljot sat up slowly.

"Yeah, fine. Why?"

"Sephiroth said you had a nightmare that he died," Raj explained. Sephiroth left the cave angrily at those words.

"Oh, that…" she said softly. "Never mind that, I'm fine now."

"Bergljot…"Gwandoya began.

"No, it's fine."

"What's his problem?" Raj muttered. He pointed in the direction the one-winged angel went. "Sephiroth. He doesn't like anyone, does he?"

"He's led a lonely life," Gwandoya whispered. "He has no family. The woman he wanted to wed died before they could, and he had to kill his last love only recently. He's an angry man. Would you like a lot of people if you had a life like that?"

Raj was silent. Cernunnos laid some wood on the ground, Lycou lighting it with the flame on his tail. They sat around, drying and waiting for Sephiroth. He didn't come back for several more minutes. When he did, he was shivering and soaking wet, even with the thick leather on. He gazed longingly at the flames.

"Sephiroth come sit by fire," Cernunnos invited. Lycou looked up and emitted a low growl as Sephiroth began to sit by him.

"The cub of Red XIII," Sephiroth muttered. "Your ancestor was strong. I see that he passed on his hate for me to his descendants."

"His name was Nanaki. He was given the name Red XIII by _your_ scientists," Lycou exclaimed angrily. He stood and curled up on the other side of the cave. He didn't return to the warmth of the flame, but he kept a close eye on Sephiroth.

"What happen between Sephiroth and Nanaki?" Cernunnos asked. Emer answered.

"His past… it is a long, long story that he does not wish to relive," she imitated. The rest of the group laughed weakly, but not Sephiroth. In one swift movement, he leapt over the fire at the bird and grabbed her by the throat.

"Do _NOT_ push it, Chocobo! One more little crack like that and we're having roast bird for dinner!" he snapped.

"Leave her be!" Lycou growled, running up to them and baring his teeth threateningly.

"Very well. I apologize," Sephiroth angrily muttered. He nearly threw her aside and stormed to the back of the cave. He hid himself with his wing and didn't move. He seemed to be asleep, so they left him alone.

"Cernunnos, I couldn't help noticing that the horn on your head is broken," Bergljot said, trying to engage everyone in conversation. "What happened?"

"Ronso people usually have horns on head. Larger the horn, stronger Ronso is. Kimahri Ronso, ancestor of Cernunnos, have horn broken off while a pup. Kimahri fight with Biran Ronso and suffer defeat. Kimahri refuse to accept loss, and so Biran break Kimahri horn in anger. Kimahri flee in shame from Mount Gagazet, home of the Ronso when Spira still one world. Later, Kimahri become guardian of Summoner Yuna, the-"

"-last Summoner to destroy Sin?" Anselm finished. "We've been to the world of the Guado already."

"Guado still live in Guadosalam?"

"Actually, it's called Ogden now, but yes," Gwandoya explained.

"Cernunnos understand. Kimahri become hero when Eternal Calm come. For next two year, Kimahri try to stop Ronso from killing Guado after ruler Seymour kill many Ronso while search for Yuna. With help of Lady Yuna, Kimahri succeed. Since then, Kimahri descendants break horn in memory of strong ancestor.

"Cernunnos have food. Friends eat well," Cernunnos said finally. He went to their stash of food and presented two slain creatures that resembled deer. The light bringers held the meat over the fire, refusing to touch the bloody mess.

"Why do men cook food? Maral meat taste better raw," Cernunnos said, shoving a piece of raw leg into his mouth. Raj promptly left the cave, retching sounds clearly audible. When he came back in, not even the creatures felt like eating much. They spread throughout the cave and slept.

"You know what?" Anselm announced as the others prepared to sleep. "I'm going to bring the ship over here. We're pretty far, and I don't want us to lose time getting back to it."

"I will accompany you," Lycou offered. Bergljot objected.

"Please, take Cernunnos or Emer with you," Bergljot said to Anselm quietly.

"Why?" Anselm shrugged. Bergljot told him that she had dreamed about a traitor who disliked one of their number, but she didn't know who. She suspected Lycou and Sephiroth, as Nanaki had issues with the man. "Hon, I promise, if anything happens, I can take care of myself."

He and Lycou left as the others settled in. Only two hours later, while everyone else slept on, Raj was walking quietly towards Sephiroth's body.

"What do you want?" he muttered as Raj tapped his shoulder.

"I was going to ask if you want to be closer to the fire," Raj explained.

"No," was the prompt reply. Sephiroth rolled over to face the young prince. "And I will not be accepting any other offers of yours, thank you very much."

"I know that you know," Raj whispered.

"And what is it that I know?"

"You know what I'm talking about. It won't be long before you'll be rid of me. Not long at all. I almost have all that I need. But then," Raj smiled. "You won't remember this conversation tomorrow. And you're not going to tell Bergljot."

"Huh?"

"You're going to die, Sephiroth. You know that what she dreamed will come true before this is over. Why not come to my side and rid yourself of the pain you know will come if you stay with them?" Raj began persuading him. The only thing he got was Sephiroth's spit in his eyes. "Ah!"

"I would rather die trying to make amends for my past deeds than die alongside evil."

"You disappoint me, Sephiroth."

"I wa-URGH!" Sephiroth yelled, but his scream was muffled by the cloth over his face. Whatever Raj had put on the cloth, it knocked Sephiroth unconscious almost immediately. As the air around him went black, Sephiroth muttered, "Traitor."

"Let's just wait and see who betrays who, shall we?" Raj whispered to the still body. He approached Bergljot, the twins curled up in her arms. He grinned menacingly.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"Urgh…" Sephiroth moaned. Someone was shaking his shoulder.

"Sephiroth, get up!" Bergljot snapped. He opened his eyes and looked around.

"What time is it?" he asked. Everyone else was running around, looking for something. Bergljot's eyes were slightly red and she seemed to be in a panic.

"Never mind that. Did Raj talk to you last night after we went to bed?"

"Hmm… maybe," Sephiroth muttered. His mind was foggy from the knockout gas. "I can't remember. Why?"

"Raj is gone. Gemini and Genesis are missing, too. Cernunnos says that they might have been carried off in the night by some forest creature. It happens to Ronso all the time, he said. We think Raj might have gone to retrieve them. Sephiroth, I know you don't like him much, but I must find my children. We're leaving in a few minutes to find him and the Keyhole. Would you stay with Emer in case he or Anselm get back?"

"Anselm?"

"He didn't come back last night. Sephiroth, please?" she begged. Her friend nodded.

"Who comes to cave?" Cernunnos howled suddenly. They heard the roaring of engines outside. They cut off, and Anselm, Lycou, and a blonde woman were walking in.

"Hey, Bergljot!" the girl yelled.

"Alpha? What are you doing here?" Bergljot exclaimed. Alpha ran up and hugged her.

"Father sent me to give you something for your ship. Here," Alpha smiled. She held out a small block. "It's a warp block. If you'll let me install it, you can go back to a world almost instantly whenever you want! But, it only works for worlds you've been to."

"Thanks," Bergljot muttered. When Alpha asked what was wrong, Bergljot explained quickly. "I want my children back."

"As for the Keyhole, we can use the ships to look for it. This man you found… his name was Raj, king of Disney Castle, right?"

"Yes."

"Shit. We're in deep trouble," Alpha sighed. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

"Why?" Gwandoya asked. Alpha looked around at the faces staring at her.

"Amazing that he could be king of a world that no longer exists."

"_WHAT_?" the entire cave cried.

"Five hundred and forty-two years ago, the prince of Disney Castle began to see what Ansem was talking about with darkness, and decided to research where his body was so he could bring him back and help. He became corrupt. Darkness took over. The descendants of Donald and Goofy tried to stop him. I don't know what happened. All I know is that they turned the entire world against him. Rather than be killed by his subjects, the prince summoned a terrible monster to destroy them all. Your descendants," she looked at Gwandoya and Anselm, "managed to escape with a few small groups of people. No one knew where they went. The grandchildren of Riku, Sora, Kairi, even my ancestors and those of the people on Itziar all tried to contact them, but to no prevail. My ancestors left Itziar to see what happened to the planet. Do you know what they found?"

"Um… Bob?" Emer squawked. Everyone gave her a dirty look. "Well, sorry. Just trying to lighten the mood. Gosh."

"The world was gone. Not one stone was left. Another ship was there. The people on board had been there when the world ended, having barely escape in time. They didn't know where the survivors went, either, but they helped my great-grandfather record the story," Alpha finished. "He and his crew went to Drummond to tell the king of light. Granddaddy never went back to Itziar. A few of years later, Sora's descendants stepped down from the throne. The monarchy fell to a democracy, and it has been that way for the past five hundred years. It was decided that the history of Sora and the Heartless wars would never be told."

"What was the prince's name?" Gwandoya asked, although he and the rest of his friends thought they knew the answer. Alpha sighed. She didn't look at them when she answered.

"His name was Raj."**NINJAMAGEGAMAJNINNINJAMAGEGAMAJNINNINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN**

**Me: **I'm sad.

**Kadaj:** Why?

**Me:** I only got one review for the last chapter…

**Lulu:** Oh, boohoo. Maybe if you update more often, you'll get more readers and reviews.

**Me:** Yeah? Well, who's the one that got TWO stories posted on a website? Huh? HUH??

**Lulu:** ((shuts up))

**Me:** Yep, this and 'Love of an Angel' have had links posted onanother site. Unfortunately, this won't let me post the site here. I'll try to put it in my bio. It's a pretty neat site, dedicated to the true Keyblade master, Riku. It's still being set up, though.

**Squall:** How about you go onto reviews instead of bragging?

**Me:** Is that a stab at my only getting one review?

**Squall:** Never mind… ((leaves))

**Me:** …

**Kadaj:** …

**Me: **...

**Kadaj:** …

**Me:** …

**Kadaj:** …

**Me:** I already replied to that review!

**Kadaj:** In that case, I better warn Loz and Yazoo.

**Me:** Eh?

**Kadaj:** They're right outside. I don't want them getting captured, too.

**Me:** ((grins))

**Kadaj:** Oh, no… ((runs))

**Me:** ((knocks Kadaj out of the way)) Here, clonies-clonies-clonies…

**NINJA MAGE**

**PS:** REVIEW, PEOPLE!!! (Although, you might want to wait until the review feature is back up. Down Sunday-Tuesday if ya don't know.)


	27. Betrayal and Failure

****

Chapter XXVI:

Betrayal and Failure

"Let's get going. Alpha, how long will it take you to install the block?" Bergljot said hurriedly.

"Maybe half-an-hour to an hour since you're in a hurry," Alpha answered. "You can take my ship to get to the hole. I installed radar that'll help locate sources of massive energy. Keyholes hold some of the greatest energy on a world. I can put one on yours later, but for now I'll stay and just install the warp. I'll bring it to you when I'm done."

"Alpha?" Anselm muttered. "Thanks for everything."

"No problem," She smiled, giving him a thumbs up. "Now get going before you lose your kids!"

She watched as her seven friends boarded her craft and took to the sky. Alpha turned to _The Isra_, picked up the block, and began to install it.

****

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"Where the hell is he?" Sephiroth muttered. They had been flying for about half-an-hour with no sign of Raj.

"I don't see the Keyhole, either," Bergljot sighed, staring into a large sphere in the middle of the cockpit. "Wait! There!"

"Where?" Anselm snapped. She pointed to a small, glowing dot twenty miles north of where they were. "Let's go."

"Hey…" Emer started as she stared at the sphere. "That's where Chocobo graze."

"So why aren't you there?" Gwandoya asked. Emer bowed her head.

"I ran away. I didn't feel safe there. While I lived there, I saw something. It had the body of a cat or dog, the wings of a Chocobo, and the hands of a human. Sephiroth… I know what we heard last night. It was the same animal. Also, they… turned me away, when I became friends with Lycou and Cernunnos. They taught me to speak your tongue. My flock told me that I am a disgrace to Chocobo. We don't speak the human language."  
"We better get over there soon," Sephiroth said, deciding to drop the subject. They sped along for about five minutes before they saw anything. "Hey, what's that?"

In the middle of a field were hundreds of Chocobo of every color under the sun. At the far end of the field were two hills. In front of the farthest from them was a large boulder. Engraved on it was a keyhole. The birds scattered as the ship landed. Emer was the first to leave.

"Wark!" she squawked. Another Chocobo approached her and began chirping angrily. Emer stood quietly until the other bird pecked at her roughly. She beat her wings against the other in retaliation. Emer yelled to the humans as she fought. "Go to the Keyhole! I'll try to tell them to leave us alone!"

"Right," Bergljot nodded. She and the others hurried over a hill to find a horrifying sight. "Raj!"

"Took you long enough," he whispered. The children were laying in front of him, Raj looking down at them. They were crying and there was no mistaking the cuts on their faces and arms.

"Give me back Gemini and Genesis!" Bergljot screamed, struggling to keep tears from flowing.

"Give them back? No, I don't think so. Ansem requested these babies specifically, and I wouldn't want to disappoint him, now, would I?" he said with an amused chuckle. He turned to face them. His own face was cut and bruised, but he smiled on and on. "Tell me, Sephiroth, how much longer will you be able to take the pain of your nightmares?" he asked. Sephiroth tried to ignore the questioning stares of his friends by looking down at the ground. "How much longer can you go knowing that you'll have to kill the only other person you ever truly cared for besides Aeris?"

"Shut up! Those children will die without their mother, and you know it!" he yelled back angrily. "Ansem surely wants them alive! What use will they be if they're dead?"

"What do you think he'll do when he receives them?" Raj called back. Bergljot lost it at that statement.

"Give me my children!" she screeched. She leapt at him, but stopped when she saw what he held in his hand.

"I'll do it, I swear to god I will!" Raj called. He raised his hand to reveal a vial full of green liquid. There was no mistaking the skull and crossbones printed on it. He held it over the children. "If one drop so much as touches their skin, they'll die within seconds! Do you really want to take that chance?"

"Please, no," Bergljot gasped. She cried silently. A howl behind Raj distracted them all.

"Ah," Raj smiled. He pocketed the vial and picked up the twins. "I hear that Enosh has shown up at last. Goodbye," he grinned. He leapt over the hill and was gone.

"What do we do?" Anselm asked nervously.

"We fight," Lycou growled. He stood his ground.

"Ronso never give up!" Cernunnos yelled.

"How true," a voice groaned from the top of the hill across from them. "I suppose that means I should never give up, either?"

"What the hell is that?" Sephiroth muttered. The creature had a body similar to that of Lycou. Its fur was blue and he had a small horn on his head. What was more amazing were the wings stretching from his back and the human hands at the ends of his front legs.

"I am a creation of humans, a hybrid of Ronso, Chocobo, human, and even your people," the creature said, adding a nod to Lycou. He didn't speak with his mouth; he used telepathy instead. "They wanted to create an all-powerful creature. They did not succeed, for I have been dead for quite some time. I have struck an alliance with the great Ansem, and have been sent to make sure you will not get any farther then you have."

"Tell us what you know!" Gwandoya yelled. They all shook their heads with the squawking laughter filling them.

"Why should I? What good would the information be to those who will die at any moment?" Enosh chuckled. He tackled Gwandoya without warning.

"Leave Gwandoya alone!" Cernunnos cried. He ran up and stuck the hybrid in the side with his spear. They all fell to their knees with the cry of pain that came from Enosh. He stood seconds later, ready to tackle again.

"We can't do anything like that again if we don't want to get hurt ourselves," Anselm called. "I have an idea."

"Don't do anything stupid!" Bergljot cried back. Anselm approached the monster. Enosh sprang at him.

"STOP!" Anselm yelled suddenly. The creature froze in midair as the stop spell hit him, but not before he slashed Anselm across the chest. Although his hands were that of a human, his claws were retractable and the size of Lycou's. Anselm lay on the ground in pain. "AH! ATTACK NOW!" he gasped. The others ran up to the mutant and slashed at his body quickly. They didn't notice Anselm crawling away to safety.

"Argh!" Enosh cried when he unfroze. He stood shakily. "This is impossible. How can you do this?"

"We're the good guys. That's how," Sephiroth said. Lycou stared at him, surprise plainly on his face. "Now tell us what you know."

"Never!" Enosh yelled back. He flew up into the air and prepared to leave. He flew up to a cliff next to them, but was heard yelling as he was met by something else.

"What's going on?" Gwandoya whispered. He stood quietly while the others stared up. A loud, painful squawk was heard after a few moments.

"Emer," Cernunnos whispered. He began running towards the rock wall. "Emer need help!"

The others began to run after, but stopped when they saw Anselm still laying in pain. Bergljot knelt and laid a hand on her husband's shoulder.

"Anselm…"

"Go after that thing," he moaned. He took a deep breath to ease the pain.

"We need you," Bergljot muttered.

"No. You're the Keyblade master. You're all we need."

"Anselm, I'm not leaving you here to…" Bergljot stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Go after the hybrid. I'll stay with him," Sephiroth said quietly. "We'll be fine. Go."

"Thanks," Bergljot whispered. She ran with the others to help Emer while Sephiroth knelt by Anselm to bind the wounds.

When the foursome reached the top, they found that they weren't needed, after all. Emer was clawing at the animal, along with around two hundred other Chocobo, nearly two-dozen Ronso, and five animals that seemed to be of the same species as Lycou. Enosh was nearly dead.

"Emer, move!" Bergljot called. Emer squawked at the other creatures and they backed off. Bergljot approached the panting figure. His wings were broken, his hands were bleeding, and blood dripped from his mouth. He looked up at Bergljot.

"Let me die quickly. No more pain, please," he whispered. She shook her head.

"You don't deserve that. But," she sighed. "I'll do it, because I'm not cold-hearted enough to torture you."

Bergljot raised her Keyblade and slashed him open, killing him instantly. Bergljot heard a noise far below, and looked down to find Raj with her fearful, crying children. She dragged the body to the edge and threw it over.

"Happy birthday, jack-ass," she muttered. She turned to the others. "We need to seal the Keyhole now."

"Let's go," Lycou agreed. "But let's take Chocobo. If they don't object, that is."

"Of course not," Emer smiled the best she could. She and three other Chocobo lowered themselves for the passengers. Lycou had some difficulty getting on and staying there, but he managed well enough. The Ronso and Lycou's friends hopped on other ones and hurried down the side of the cliff.

"Is that a Gummi Ship?" Gwandoya asked. They listened to the roaring engine of _The Isra_. Alpha was piloting the ship towards them.

"Good," Bergljot whispered. They continued on. When they got back, Sephiroth was fighting with Raj.

"Bergljot, seal the Keyhole, now!" Sephiroth called when he saw them. They all looked at the Keyhole, their hearts filling with dread. It was fading.

"No, stop!" Bergljot yelled. She ran over, but it was too late. The hole was sealed before she could raise her blade.

"Shit," Raj whispered. He pushed Sephiroth to the ground next to Anselm and picked up the twins. He ran over to Alpha's ship. "Goodbye, and let's hope we don't meet again!"

"Hold it!" Bergljot screamed. She screamed louder when a piece of earth rose up in front of her. The planet was rumbling violently as Raj began to pilot Alpha's ship off the planet. Alpha had _The Isra_ over to them, but she didn't land. Instead, she lowered a platform from the door.

"Get on! Tell the animals that if they don't want to die, they need to get in!" She yelled. All the Chocobo and Ronso crowded onto the platform. Alpha had to lower it twice more for everyone to get in, but they managed. When they were in, Alpha turned the ship into the air sharply and left the planet. Looking back as they flew away, Bergljot and her friends watched in horror as the planet was torn apart by an invisible force.

"So that's what happens," Bergljot whispered, "when the Keyhole isn't sealed. I failed."

"No," Anselm said gently. "You didn't fail. Raj tricked and distracted us."

"How so?"

"You didn't see the injuries on Enosh. When he slashed at me, I managed to see at least a dozen cuts already on his body. He was already hurt."

"Raj, you bastard," Gwandoya muttered. "Well, we have a ship full of oversized birds and dogs. What do we do with them?"

"Hmm," Bergljot furrowed her brow. She turned to Alpha. "Get Renatus for me."

"Sure," the young pilot smiled. She pushed some buttons and waited. Renatus' face was plastered across the screen seconds later.

"Hello, Bergljot. What's going on?" she asked. Bergljot quickly told her everything that had happened. Renatus agreed to keep the animals on her planet until the light was free and they had a planet again. "I'll be awaiting your arrival."

"We'll be there in a few minutes," Bergljot smiled. "Remember, we have a Warp Gummi."

"Oh, yes, I forgot that already," Renatus laughed. "I'll be out by the landing field waiting for you."

****

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"Thank you so much Renatus. You must be getting tired of us bringing all these people to your world," Bergljot apologized. Renatus shook her head.

"No, it is actually quite nice to have Chocobo and Ronso again. And I hope that you find the children soon."

"Hey, Sephiroth," Lycou whispered. He and Sephiroth were standing a few yards away. "I apologize for mistrusting you. You are nothing like what my grandfather said."

"You're feelings were justified. There is no need for apologies," Sephiroth assured him with a smile. Lycou grinned, too. Sephiroth stuck out his hand, which Lycou then laid his paw in.

"Sephiroth. Some on! We're leaving!" Bergljot called from the ship.

"Good bye, child of Nanaki," he yelled as he ran to his friends.

"What now?" Gwandoya asked as they took off.

"First, buckle up so we can get back to where we were," Alpha ordered. About a minute later, they were back at the ruined planet of Selvaggia. She set the ship on autopilot and joined them in the map. They already had a planet picked out.

"Here," Anselm pointed as Alpha walked in. "This is our destination."

"What's it called? I can't see from over here," Sephiroth asked. He leaned, arms crossed, against the wall by the door.

"Ruya," Anselm said simply.

"NO! I won't go there!" Sephiroth yelled suddenly. Everyone stared at him as he shook. "I refuse!"

"Sephiroth, what's on Ruya? What was Raj talking about back there?" Gwandoya asked him. Sephiroth didn't reply. He only turned and walked out of the room.

"Sephiroth?" Bergljot called into the hall. He was standing in the middle of the corridor, trembling. She wrapped her arms around him from behind. "What's on Ruya?"

"He's there. Waiting for me," Sephiroth whispered. "I can't do it. He's just a kid."

"Who is?" she inquired, walking in front of him. Her eyes went wide when she saw the tears on his face. "Sephiroth… you're really scared about this place, aren't you?"

"Hmm," he nodded shamefully. "I don't want to watch him die again."

"Who are you talking about?" Bergljot pressed. Sephiroth walked towards the bedroom.

"Someone very close to me. He's known me his entire life. I had to watch Cloud murder him long ago. I don't want to suffer that again."

"Sephiroth, if you have a problem, tell us and we'll try to help," she whispered. He turned to face her and smiled weakly.

"If there was a way you could help, I would have told you when my nightmares began. Alas, this is something I alone must deal with," he said sadly. He went into the bedroom and shut the door.

"Did you get anything?" Anselm asked as he and the others approached her.

"All he said was that there was someone there who Cloud murdered a long time ago and Sephiroth had to watch. He doesn't want to watch again. He also said that he's been having nightmares."

"So the nightmares are scaring him. I would think he'd know the difference between real and dreams," Gwandoya muttered. "Anyway, we'll be there tomorrow. The world's pretty close."

"Tomorrow?" Bergljot repeated. She sighed. "Okay. I'm all for it. Anyone else not want to go besides Sephiroth?"

"I'll go," Anselm said.

"We need to try to save all planets, no matter how scared we are," Gwandoya pointed out.

"I'll be staying on the ship since I don't have a weapon, but I can take you over," Alpha agreed. Sephiroth came out and stared at them.

"Sephiroth, I'm sorry," Bergljot said, "but you're outvoted for going to Ruya. Four to one vote."

"Fine," he sighed bitterly. He approached the cockpit and sat down. He didn't move for the rest of the ride.

****

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"Sephiroth, shouldn't you go to sleep?" Alpha asked. According to the Gummi clock, it was nearly midnight. Sephiroth remained seated in the cockpit with Alpha, but the others were sleeping soundly in the back.

"I'm afraid to. What can you tell me about this planet?"

"Not much. It's covered in fog. Um…" she thought. "There's one part of the world that light never touches. We think that's where the Keyhole is."

"What about creatures?" he inquired.

"Seems there are mostly doppelgangers."

"Doppel-who?"

"Doppelgangers. They take the form of anything they come across. I read that they can also manifest one's worst nightmares, but who knows if it's true? I mean, no one on my world has ever seen one. I guess they don't have one where you come from, either. 'Doppel-who," she mocked with a laugh. Sephiroth smirked as Alpha turned on the autopilot and turned to face him. "Isn't that better?"

"What?"

"Smiling. You have a really nice one. All you have to do is laugh once in awhile. You'll feel better, trust me," Alpha grinned, straddling the pilot's seat. He smiled back and looked down at the floor. His expression faded as he closed his eyes.

"But what will I do when I get there? I can't laugh while watching the death of…" he fell silent. Alpha got up and knelt by him.

"Sephiroth, if things get really tough out there for you, come back to the ship. No matter what Bergljot says, you come back here, got it?" she insisted. Sephiroth nodded weakly. "Come on, smile."

"I don't feel like it."

"Oh, come _on_ mister grumpy-pants, smile!" she ordered. He looked up and grinned slightly. "Now, you can do better than that. Smile!" she ordered further.

"You enjoy torturing me," he sighed. Throwing away as much dignity as he could, Sephiroth grinned the cheesiest grin he could. The result was showing all his teeth and shutting his eyes tightly. "You know," he said through his teeth, "this _really_ hurts."

"You don't know how stupid you look," Alpha said, trying to suppress a laugh. She failed miserably. She was suddenly doubled up with laughter.

"Haha," Sephiroth looked at his grinning reflection in the window and began to join her. They sat there exchanging stupid facial expressions and laughing until their entire bodies hurt and they could shed no more tears of joy.

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NINJAMAGEGAMAJNININJAMAGEGAMAJNININJAMAGEGAMAJNININJAMAGEGAMAJNININJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

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NM: Wow… This story has been on ffnet for just over a year now… Thanks guys! Anyway, I'm actually happy with the ending of this chapter. I know the fight really sucks, but the battle wasn't important. What was important was the death of the world. Oh, and I don't own the rights to any Chocobo, Ronso, or Nanaki's species. Obviously. Okay, reviews:

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Master of the Dark Trio: It takes so long because: 1) Lately, I've been at a point in the story where writer's block is a major problem. Hopefully, the next one to three chapters will be quicker as I've been thinking about them for quite some time; 2) I have had two other stories in the works (Love of an Angel and Angel's Child), so I've been working on those when I have few ideas on this one; 3) I'm lazy; 4) I don't even know why this is, but I don't like working on these stories when someone else is home with me, mostly because I feel like they're looking over my shoulder, which is a pain in my bum when people do that to something I'm doing on the computer. Fortunately, I've been home alone a lot lately, so, again, I'll hopefully be working harder.

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Soul Vagabond: Hehe… thanks. Please don't flame for the fight… and… READ THE OTHER STORY!!! (please? It's cool. Reno and Rude are there. And vampires.)

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CorDynasty: ((bow)) Thanks. Yeah, the story actually generated from a thought I had while I was falling asleep one night. I wondered, _what if Ansem didn't really die and Sora's descendant had to kill him? What if she was a normal, every day girl and her friends knew who she was, but she didn't? What if Sephiroth joined them?_ and so on, and that's how this story was born. As for the one-winged angel becoming good too quickly and easily, I know. I couldn't think of anything else to make him want to be good. Also, I didn't say what he was up to during Bergljot's pregnancy, so you can come up with your own ideas, if you want. Also, (I use that word too much) the next couple of chapters may explain the soft spot in Seph's heart. As for the worlds, there will be one world for every summon they get. There's 13 summons, so there will be 13 worlds, plus Selvaggia and the End of the World, where the last fight will be. After careful calculations, they still have 9 worlds to go to (plus End) before the ending, including where they're just about at.

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NM: Thanks for reading, and to those of you who have been with me since the beginning, thank you especially for pushing me to work. ((sends plushies of various FF characters to readers))

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NINJA MAGE


	28. Kadaj

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Chapter XXVII

Kadaj

"Why can't you drop us by the dark spot?" Bergljot asked. They were strapped in, but Alpha was having trouble landing.

"I told you, I tried to get close to it, but for some reason I keep getting malfunction readings if I do. Ah-ha! Here's a place I can drop you. You'll have to walk a little way, but it's the closest I can get."

"Sephiroth, you sure you'll be okay?" Anselm asked. Sephiroth smiled and nodded.

"Of course. I'm the Great Sephiroth. I can get through anything," he reassured them with a thumbs-up.

"And your nightmares?" Gwandoya reminded him.

"I know they're not real. That's all I need."

"Alpha, take us down," Bergljot commanded. Alpha tipped the ship towards the planet. After a shaky entry, she touched down on the fog-covered ground. The others stood and prepared to leave, but she stopped them.

"Wear these. I want to know what's going on, too," Alpha said. She handed each of them a headset with a microphone.

"Right," Anselm agreed as they all put on the sets. Alpha put on another as they left.

"Bergljot? Anselm? Can all of you hear me?"

"I hear you," Bergljot confirmed.

"Gotcha," Anselm agreed.

"Loud and clear," Gwandoya spoke up.

"Yes," Sephiroth said. "Let's get moving."

"Wait, what's that?" Gwandoya said quietly. They heard a rustling by their feet. A large python with a Heartless symbol on the back of his head rose from the ground.

"Snake…" Alpha whispered. She was screaming the next moment. "Snake. Snake! SNAKE! Shit, I _hate_ snakes!"

"At least you're in there instead of facing it," Anselm comforted her. "Sephiroth, what are you doing?"

"Taking it down!" he yelled as he ran towards the reptile. He leapt onto its back and dug his sword into the snake. It hissed angrily as the sword came out, covered in blood. In one swift movement, it turned, opened its mouth, and, as he tried to leap away, caught Sephiroth.

"NO! Sephiroth!" Bergljot screamed. Gwandoya looked in her direction questioningly as Sephiroth began to slip down the lizard's throat. "That damn snake ate him!" The three of them began to run towards it when a voice in their ears stopped them.

"Stop where you are! I'm okay!"

"Sephiroth?" Bergljot whispered. They stood still and watched the snake. It lunged suddenly and stopped just as quickly. It began to writhe in pain.

"Die, you son of a bitch," Sephiroth whispered. His sword was suddenly sticking through the lower jaw of the serpent. When the snake opened his mouth, Sephiroth was dragging the weapon along its mouth while he grabbed the forked tongue to keep from being swallowed. His friends were shocked at the slightly maniacal expression on his face. The two of them fell to the ground as Sephiroth stabbed his sword through the snake's head. He jumped off as the snake landed, and thus was smattered with blood. He stared at his friends. "This is not the first time I've fought a giant snake."

"You're a mess," Bergljot shook her head. His hair was stained red, as was his skin and armor.

"I'll be fine. I guess we've faced one person's nightmare. Who's the next contestant on 'Getting Your Ass Kicked By Sephiroth?'" he said, receiving a slight chuckle from the others. They began to walk towards the black area. When they had only gone one or two yards, the fog faded away. Behind it was…

"Milburga," Anselm whispered. They stared at the plants in the forest surrounding them, and, in the distance, there was a large city with skyscrapers that reached high into the sky. Without warning, Ansem came running up from the city.

"Get ready!" Bergljot yelled. Ansem approached her and began to swing his fist. She brought the blade up, thrust it onto his arm, and… it went through. "Huh?"

"He's not real," Sephiroth muttered. Ansem reached out towards him and punched, but the hand went right through his head. Ansem stared at them before tearing off past them.

"Why's he running?" Gwandoya asked. Ansem was staring at the sky.

"Look. There's a giant Heartless attacking the city."

The four of them watched as the large, winged Heartless tore down the buildings. Anselm began crying as the world went black and the fog returned. He sighed and turned away.

"That's what happened when he came back," Bergljot whispered. She tugged on Anselm's sleeve and made him continue the hike. Before they went much farther, Sephiroth froze.

"What's the matter?" Gwandoya inquired. Sephiroth stared into space.

"He knows I'm here."

"Who?" Bergljot pressed. Sephiroth shook his head and came out of his trance.

"Nobody important."

"It must be if you're so scared," Anselm pointed out. Sephiroth shook his head again and closed his eyes.

"Really, don't worry yourselves so," he insisted. They began to walk again, but Sephiroth yelled suddenly and bent over. "Leave me alone!"

"No, I don't think I will," said a voice. Bergljot and the others glanced around for the source while Sephiroth stood shakily.

"Who's there?" she called. Out of the fog ahead of them came a young man. He had a sword scabbard slung across his back and short silver hair that floated across his face. Over his clothes he wore a brown cloak, but his pants and boots were black. His hood was up, but his mouth was just visible. Sephiroth stared at that smiling face.

"What's wrong? Have you forgotten me already?"

"I don't know who you are," Sephiroth insisted shakily. The man laughed.

"You are a very bad liar."

"Please, leave us alone."

"Who said anything about the others?" he smiled. The man walked up behind Sephiroth and laid his hands on his shoulder. "All I want…" he whispered, leaning in closely to his ear, "…is you."

"Get away!" Sephiroth commanded. He turned around and swung his sword, but the boy was gone.

"Where is he?" Anselm asked. They stood silently before the man spoke again.

"You failed me, and you know it. I'm dead because of you."

"Shut up," he hissed quietly in reply.

"You never should have left me. I am gone now, and all because you never came back."

"No, shut up."

"You know deep down that everything I have gone through…"

"No."

"… Everything I have done…"

"Sephiroth?" Bergljot whispered.

"No."

"… It is all because you never returned to me those many years ago."

"No! Shut up! Leave me alone!" Sephiroth yelled. He began walking in circles, hand on the hilt of his sword and looking around quickly to locate the person.

"You can't escape your guilt!"

"No! No! No!" The demigod fell trembling to his knees, eyes shut and hands covering his ears, but nothing could block out the yelling of the child.

"You know what I speak is the truth!"

"Shut up! Shut up! No!"

"Now it is your turn to die! Now you will know what it's like to be killed because of someone you loved!" the voice screamed while Sephiroth yelled.

"No!"

"Die!"

"NO!"

"Sephiroth!" his friends yelled to him while they screamed at each other.

"Snap out of it!" Anselm begged.

"It's not real!" Gwandoya hollered. As he spoke, the other voice became silent, but Sephiroth remained on his knees. He muttered over and over.

"No… shut up… it's a lie… no…" he sobbed. Bergljot laid a hand upon his arm and he turned quickly. When he saw who was with him, he broke into tears again and turned away, a hand held gently over his mouth and his shoulders trembling.

"What is it? Who was that man?" Anselm asked soothingly. Sephiroth took a deep breath before answering.

"His name is Kadaj…" he muttered through his tears. He took another deep breath and ran his fingers through his bloody hair. "And… he is my son."

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"I never knew you had a son," Alpha said after an awkward silence. Sephiroth had been brought back to the ship and was now sitting in a chair in the cockpit. He shook and had his eyes shut tightly, his hands clasped together between his knees and his head bowed.

"A long, long time ago, yes."

"But when Bergljot was pregnant," Gwandoya began, "you said that you had never been around any other pregnant women."

"I was not with his mother when she carried him. I didn't even know he existed until he was six months old. At that age, his mother left him in my care as she was unable to provide for him."

"So, he's illegitimate?" Bergljot whispered. He nodded weakly in reply.

"Didn't your girlfriend die?" Gwandoya asked.

"His mother was not Kalliope. I was lonely one night about one or two years after her death and… let's just say things didn't go quite as planned with the woman I was sleeping with."

"What did he mean when he said you didn't come back to him?" Anselm inquired. Sephiroth glanced out the window.

"On my world, I was a general in the army. When Kadaj was about ten years old, I had to go on a mission to check out a Mako reactor. Monsters had been coming from them and terrorizing the town of Nibelheim."

"Mako?" Gwandoya repeated.

"On his world, it was the life blood of the planet. The soul, if you will. Man found out how to harness that power for electricity, weapons, and pretty much anything else that needed a lot of power to use," Alpha explained. They stared at her. "My ancestor, Cid, was from the same world."

"That's right," Sephiroth agreed. "Anyway, when I got to the reactor, I found a door in there with the name 'Jenova' written across it. I remembered that my mother's name was Jenova, so I began to wonder. Outside of the door were pods with humanoid creatures in them. One broke free while I was there, and I began to think, 'was this how I came to be? Was I created, and not born?' For the next three days, I sat in the basement of the mansion where we were staying and read every book down there. I found out that I was the Jenova Project. That's when I turned evil and the first time I died. I never went back to Midgar after that. Midgar was the largest city on our world, and also where Kadaj and I lived," he added.

"Sephiroth, I'm so sorry," Bergljot sighed. Sephiroth stood and, arms crossed, stood by the window.

"I... saw Kadaj two more times after I left. Five years later, I went back to Nibelheim in search of Jenova and the-" he stopped himself before he stared up at Bergljot. "You know what it is."

"The Black Materia," she whispered. Everyone else gasped.

"You're the master of Meteor?" Anselm said after a shocked silence.

"I guarantee, I have no intention of using it," he assured them. "Sometime during those five years, Kadaj went to the mansion himself, looking for me. He found me in the basement. I had no idea who he was at first. After I tried to kill him, he showed me this necklace," he said, holding up the one around his neck, "and I knew. I hugged him one more time and made him leave before Cloud came. I found out later that Kadaj had followed Cloud while he chased me down and was there when he killed me once more.

"Two years later, he joined with two of my clones to bring me back. They succeeded, but the clones were killed. When they died, Kadaj and I ran as fast and as far as we could. Cloud eventually caught up to us. My son told me to run for it, that he would hold off Cloud. Before I could tell him that I would do no such thing, Cloud caught us and tried to kill Kadaj. They fought for a few minutes while I got rid of his girlfriend who had also attacked us. When she ran, I turned to find my son's sword being knocked from his hands to the ground. I watched as Kadaj was forced to his knees and Cloud sliced through his chest and threw him aside. I ran up and cut off Cloud's arm before running to my child. I was far too late. He might have lived, Cloud's attack didn't go very deep, but Kadaj had landed on his sword and it pierced his chest. I'll never forget his scream as I tried to pull it out and save him. He…" his voice cracked a moment as he remembered the painful event. "He died in my arms a minute later. I carried him to a small field where I buried him before turning my back on my home.

"I found a way to go to another world. I went to Hollow Bastion, but Cloud, Cid, and Yuffie followed me. Aeris was there, too. I had always thought that he had brought her back the same way I was given renewed life, but now I know that was not the case. When the world was destroyed by the ruler Ansem, I fled to a Coliseum. I was undefeated among all the fighters that came there. Sora fought me at least two dozen times and lost nearly every one. He beat me one time. The night after he did, Cloud showed up and we fought. I was on the edge of death, but instead of killing me, Cloud asked Cid to freeze me so that I might be revived someday when I would be more like I was before Nibelheim. Cid took me to another world, and now here I stand for all to see."

"Sephiroth, I think you should stay here," Bergljot whispered. He turned quickly to look at her. "Whatever this is that's causing our nightmares to manifest, it wants you especially to suffer. Please, stay here."

"This is the first time I've thought of Kadaj in ages. Even if this thing wants me to die, I don't want to be away from my son again. Maybe," he said quietly, eyes on the floor, "if I see him once more, even if it means fighting and killing him, I might find closure. That's something I have not found for any deaths I have witnessed or caused."

"There's no such thing as closure when it comes to the death of a loved one," Gwandoya whispered. "I'm the one here who has lost parents, a sister, a wife, and two children. I haven't found closure for any of them."

"I don't want to stay here alone," Sephiroth resisted.

"Sephiroth, I'll be here with you," Alpha reminded him.

"Look, as long as I am the Keyblade master, I am the leader of this group. As long as I am the leader of this group, you will do as I say. You are staying here, Sephiroth. That's that," Bergljot said forcefully.

"Very well," he replied quietly. He walked back to the bedroom. "I'll be sleeping if you need me."

"The rest of us will head out," Anselm commanded. The three of them left, Sephiroth watching them through the windows.

"Kadaj," he muttered to himself. He stretched out on the bed and waited. Alpha came in a few minutes later and asked if he was asleep. No answer. When she went into the adjoining bathroom, Sephiroth sat up and removed the headset. He slowly stood, wrote something on a sheet of paper, and walked out of the room.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

"Well, we couldn't get through," Bergljot moaned five hours after they left. She, Anselm, and Gwandoya walked onto the ship covered in cuts and bruises. "There were at least fifty Heartless waiting. There was no way we could get through."

"We have a problem," Alpha said shakily.

"What?" all three asked. Alpha produced a headset and a note from the chair next to her.

"Just after you left, I went into the bathroom. I thought he was asleep, but when I came out, this was all that was on the pillow. Bergljot, Sephiroth is gone."

**NINJAMAGEGAMAJNININJAMAGEGAMAJNININJAMAGEGAMAJNIN**

**NM:** Aw, a father and son reunite… how touching. Especially when the son wants the dad _dead_. Ahem. Okay, i have no clue whether Kadaj is Sephiroth's son or not. It makes sense (youngestclone being the groups leader) to me at least, but who knows until the movie comes out?Anyway, onto reviews:

**Master of the Dark Trio:** Yeah, I feel your pain. So if there ever comes a time again where I don't update for a month or more, just yell at me for all of those.

**Mediciner:** And what a lovely pose it is! Glad to have you back, and I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter (I thought it sucked, but since when do my opinions of my own stories count on this website?), and I can't wait to read what happens next in yours!

**Merielle:** Raj is a pretty evil son of a you-know-what. I actually have no idea when he's going to give up the twins or when they'll even meet again. Yes, the smile… Warp Gummi Installation: 65 Munny; Renatus Babysitting Renegade Business: 200 Munny; Envisioning Sephy-chan Grinning Like an Idiot: Priceless.

**NM:** Review, please!

**NINJA MAGE**


	29. The Nightmare's Ending

****

Chapter XXVIII

The Nightmare's Ending

Sephiroth walked silently through the fog. He didn't speak, nor did his boots make any noise as he walked slowly. His face was set, stern and determined, just as he had learned to keep it when he went into battle as a member of SOLDIER. He took a different way than his friends to avoid being told off or forced to go back. _I'm 'The Mighty' Sephiroth,_ he kept reminding himself. _No one can tell me what to do. I decide how I'm going to conduct my life. As for he who calls himself Kadaj… He'd better be ready,_ he thought, gripping the hilt of his sword even tighter.

"I can do it," he muttered to himself to chase away the uneasy silence. "Gwandoya's right. It's not real. Whoever it is isn't really Kadaj. Whoever it is, he's not really my son," he sighed. Sephiroth stopped and stared at the ground. "And yet, why do I dread doing that which I must do to end this nightmare?"

He stood a moment, debating. When he looked up after making his decision, he saw the boy standing only a few yards away. He smiled at Sephiroth before turning and walking away.

"I was seventeen, father. Seventeen years old, and my life ended before it had really begun. You must be kicking yourself over that."

"No. I won't suffer your words anymore," Sephiroth whispered. Before the boy could turn back towards him to reply, Sephiroth ran to him and stuck his sword deep into his back. He only faded away, leaving Sephiroth to curse in frustration.

"I can't even tell what's real or imaginary anymore. Damn this place," he muttered. "Damn this place to hell." He slowly began walking towards the black center of the world, the letter he wrote to his friends echoing through his mind.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

_My dearest friends--- _

I apologize for my leaving without a word. This will be the only time I do this, I promise. My friends, please, do not follow me. This is something I must do alone. If I am not back in half a day, go to seal the Keyhole. If I am not back by then, I am probably dead. If I am still fighting, do not help me. Use the distraction I cause to seal the hole. I need to do this by myself. I don't care what Gwandoya says; I need the closure of saying goodbye to him, even if it is another in his form.

Good-bye, my dearest and best friends.

Sephiroth

"How can he do this?" Bergljot whispered. She read the note over and over, her concern growing greater each time. She held the headset in her hands. "He could've at least taken this to tell us when to come and seal the hole."

"I think we should go now. Otherwise, we risk losing this world as we did Selvaggia," Gwandoya suggested. The others agreed quietly.

"Why didn't he tell us he had a son?" Bergljot wondered aloud.

"He was probably embarrassed," Anselm spoke up. She gave him a sideways look.

"He's got a point," Alpha said. "Think about it. Sephiroth was the youngest man ever to make it to the title of General in the army on his world. Everybody looked up to him. Despite how much he loves him and how proud of Kadaj he seems to be, what would people have thought if they knew he had an illegitimate kid?"

"He still could have told us. Maybe then we could have helped. Alpha, stay here in case he returns or something happens," Bergljot whispered. She put on her headset and led the others off of the ship in search of Sephiroth.

NINJAMAGEGAMAJNIN

The silence grew heavier and heavier in Sephiroth's ears as he looked around for the fake Kadaj. He finally began singing quietly under his breath.

"I linger in the doorway of alarm clock screaming, monsters calling my name," he muttered slowly. After a moment or two, he began to feel better, even though nothing had changed. He stopped singing when he noticed something rise up from the ground in front of him. He stared at the shadow Heartless.

"I'm not afraid of you," he said to it. The Heartless faded away as he spoke. A minute later, Kadaj was standing in front of him instead.

"We'll see who's afraid soon," he said quietly. He faded as Sephiroth reached towards him.

Without much more thought, Sephiroth walked forward, but stopped after a few steps. More Heartless of nearly every kind were surrounding the door on a glass dome that had risen up suddenly from the fog. On the other side, he saw a figure in black with silver hair watching the Keyhole. The Heartless began leaping at him and scratching his face. He only stood, waiting for the claws to go through his skin as Ansem's fist had done. He let out a scream of pain as the claws slashed open his cheek. These Heartless were for real. As he knelt on the ground, gritting his teeth in pain, he laid his fingertips on his cheek. Although his gloves were black, he could see a slightly darker spot on them. He stared at his blood; he had scarcely ever seen himself bleed. The Heartless leapt upon him, trying to dig into his chest. As he felt the claws starting to scratch into his back, reaching ever farther for his heart, he stood and threw them aside. As they flew through the air, he pulled out Masamune and destroyed them when they landed. As for those that remained, he cut them open easily with the sword. Within a few minutes, he was standing alone outside the door.

"Heal," he muttered, eyes closed. His cuts were gone instantly. He opened his eyes and stared through the door determinedly. He reached out a shaky hand and opened it as a cry rang through the area.

"Sephiroth, wait!" Bergljot yelled. She, Anselm and Gwandoya were running up behind him.

"I told you not to come," he whispered without turning. "I'm sorry, but if you follow me any further, I'll kill you," he said quietly. Without another word, he stepped through and closed the large door. Bergljot and the others tugged at the door, but it was locked tightly. They watched helplessly as Sephiroth walked to the middle of the room.

"Kadaj!" he yelled loudly. The boy disappeared and the room changed. Instead of the dome, Sephiroth looked around to find himself in a forest. Cloud was lying behind him, groaning with the pain of his amputated arm. Turning away, he watched the two figures crouched a few feet in front of him. Walking closer, he saw that the one lying on the ground was Kadaj and the one kneeling over him was himself, just as he was a thousand years ago. Kadaj's double-bladed sword was digging deeply into the side of his chest. Sephiroth watched as his image held the boy's hand and held back tears.

"Kadaj, I'm going to try to take the sword out," he heard himself whisper. The image took hold of the hilt and pulled quickly. The real Sephiroth closed his eyes and felt the unwanted tears on his face as he listened to his son's scream of pain again, the scream that had woken him up for many nights afterwards. He opened his eyes at the surprisingly real-sounding clang as the sword was thrown aside to find himself holding the dying boy and crying, the boy's face cringed in pain while he gasped for breath and moaned with pain, the blood dripping onto the ground and staining his father's clothes. The gasping was useless, the real Sephiroth knew, for he knew that the sword had severed one of Kadaj's lungs.

"Dad, run. Tifa…" he winced, "Tifa and the others… will be back."

"I'm not leaving you," the fake Sephiroth sobbed.

"You can't do anything to save me, but… you can still save yourself…" Kadaj whispered weakly. He laid his head against his father's chest and listened to his heart. Sephiroth laid a hand on the fake one's shoulder, only to have it go through. "I'm not afraid of death. Not anymore."

"Kadaj," both Sephiroths whispered, tears flowing down both faces. Kadaj closed his eyes and curled up tighter against the image.

"I love you, father," he muttered.

As both the real and imaginary Sephiroth whispered the same reply, Kadaj's hand fell limp in that of the image. The scene faded as the image laid his head against his dead son's and sobbed almost uncontrollably. On the outside of the dome, Bergljot and the others were sadly watching the same scene, Anselm explaining the events to his blind brother. Sephiroth stood almost deathly still, his shoulders and mouth the only things moving as he unsuccessfully tried to hold back more tears and a scream of pained remembrance. He stared into space and screamed, causing his friends to jump out of shock. He knelt to the ground and pounded it with his fist, his yelling growing less and less. As he did, the boy came back into focus in the place he watched.

"Yes, father. Look again at the death of your son. You have never forgotten, have you?" he said, his back facing Sephiroth. Kadaj was standing only a few feet away. He had shed his dark cloak, revealing that he wore black leather pants and a leather coat that was unzipped halfway down his chest. His gloved hands rested at his sides with a sword in a scabbard slung across his back. He turned to face the one-winged angel. "You will _never_ forget," he whispered, his eyes glowing and hair blowing wispily across his face.

"Shut up," Sephiroth hissed, slowly and shakily standing. His hands were in fists as he stared tearfully. "Just shut up and stop this."

"No, I don't think I will," he said slowly, tauntingly.

"Shut the hell up," Sephiroth snapped, his tears flowing freely now. Kadaj glared at him and sent a large fireball in Sephiroth's direction. He stood there, his hair and coat blowing while the imaginary flames licked at him and blew harmlessly past.

"Not until you kill me or I kill you," Kadaj said as the flames dispersed.

Sephiroth shook angrily as the child walked around the dome, taunting him and reminding him of what he had done. He only stared at the place where Kadaj had begun, refusing to look at the imposter any longer. He had enough when the kid began mocking the real Kadaj.

"Oh, I _love_ you, daddy, and I miss you _so_ much," he cackled, laying his hands upon Sephiroth's shoulders and muttering it into his ear. Sephiroth promptly turned around and slapped the imposter hard, the noise echoing off of the glass. Kadaj stood, his face turned and staring at the ground. "You've been waiting a long time to do that, haven't you? You never struck him once when you were with him. That felt good, didn't it, holding back all that anger towards him? You really enjoyed hitting him just now, yes?"

"Only because you are not really Kadaj," Sephiroth whispered, his hand in a fist and ready to strike again.

Before he could bring the hand up, Kadaj drew his sword and charged at Sephiroth. He sidestepped the boy and drew Masamune. _He's not my son_, he reminded himself. _He's not real. You can do this. You aren't really fighting him._

Kadaj ran back at him and brought the double-bladed weapon down on him. Sephiroth neatly blocked the attack and countered. The two blades clashed and Sephiroth winced at the noise, waiting for the blades to shatter as they had in his dream. During his hesitation, Kadaj took the opportunity to pull away and cut open his left arm.

"Ah!" Sephiroth screamed, his hand going to the wounds. He leapt back as Kadaj tried to strike again and glanced at his injury. There were two neat, deep gashes in his upper arm, both of them bleeding profusely. He stared up at the imposter with a shocked expression.

"You see? I am _very_ real."

The two of them traded and blocked a few more blows before Kadaj made two more gashes in Sephiroth's leg.

"Come on, Sephiroth," Bergljot muttered under her breath.

The two silver-haired men continued fighting violently, Kadaj doing far more damage than Sephiroth. Only a few minutes into the battle, Kadaj caught Masamune between his two blades. Seeing an opportunity, he threw the winged man against the wall near Bergljot and the other two men, cracking the glass so it resembled a spider web. Sephiroth yelled as he tried to move, but he had so many injuries, it seemed like he would never get up. He finally stood up shakily and with a painful scream, his blood staining the wall and floor. As a last attempt, he removed the Black Materia from his pocket and stared from it to Kadaj.

"No," Bergljot gasped. She began screaming, "Sephiroth, don't do it! Don't do it! It's not worth your life! Stop!" He looked up at her yells, realizing that this was what she had screamed in her sleep on Selvaggia. "No! You don't have to die! Stop! Don't summon!" she yelled. As he put the Materia away, she remembered the dream. _But… is this where I said it in the dream? It was somewhere else, wasn't it?_ She thought. She shook off the feeling that she had just done something wrong as Sephiroth approached Kadaj again.

Sephiroth brought his sword upon the teenager and finally made contact. Kadaj screamed as his arm was hit hard. The angel flinched at hearing that sound again. While his eyes were closed, Kadaj cut Sephiroth again, this time across the chest.

"How does it feel?" he hissed as the winged man knelt to the ground. Sephiroth brought his sword up again, but Kadaj caught it once more and this time flung it completely out of his hands and to the side. The injured man stood and tried to punch Kadaj, but he gave a swift, hard sidekick and knocked Sephiroth into the wall again.

"No," Bergljot sobbed, tears beginning to flow. "He's killing him."

Indeed, Sephiroth's blood spattered the glass and he lie motionless against it, his scarlet blood pouring onto the ground in pints. He was only able to lift his upper body after a few moments, but even then he had to use his arms for support. He coughed violently and spit up a large amount of blood. He stared up at Kadaj, his face covered in the red liquid, and Kadaj stared down at him before giving him another swift kick in the stomach, resulting in a haunting scream and more blood from the man's mouth. As Sephiroth lie there, moaning in pain, Kadaj smiled.

"Ansem was wrong. You aren't powerful at all," he said.

"Ansem?" the four heroes gasped.

"How…" Sephiroth said shakily, "How do you know Ansem?"

"I suppose there is no harm in telling you, as you will die anytime now. You see, long ago, when Ansem fell as king of Hollow Bastion, there were ten other kingdoms whose leaders became corrupt. Each of the rulers fell to a different group of heroes. Because they have refused to accept death and only one was actually given a proper Sending, they were all stuck within the Ifa Tree. About one year ago, one of the rulers broke completely free after centuries of trying to find one of his descendants that was weak-minded enough to continue his work or allow him to take over the body and mind."

"Seymour," Bergljot muttered. Sephiroth just continued to watch as he gasped for breath and coughed up blood.

"They fought their way to the top, where they began to watch a group of people who were trying to defeat the darkness. This group watched the light-bringers as they helped the descendants of those who defeated Ansem; they watched the female become pregnant and give birth to male and female twins; they watched as the heroes gained the assistance of one who held enough power to stop them; and when another soul was trapped in the tree only ten days ago, he joined the darkness soon after. Only five days ago, Ansem came to us and offered us greater power than even you hold," Kadaj whispered as he looked at Sephiroth. Sephiroth swallowed and stared up at him. "The only conditions were that we kill all of you and let the Heartless roam our world freely.

"Now, mighty Sephiroth, is your time to die. But first," he began, his voice becoming more feminine as he continued, "look into the face that has taken over your child, that has given you the horrible nightmares you have had for nearly a week."

As Sephiroth watched wide-eyed, Kadaj's body began to change. His clothes faded to a dark grey color while his skin darkened to match. His mouth seemed to melt shut and his nose shrunk until it was almost gone. His hair was pulled into his head as if someone was rolling it up in his skull while his eyes became yellow instead of the beautiful green they had been. Kadaj's chest enlarged slightly and his features became more like those of a woman. Indeed, when he finished changing, Sephiroth was looking straight into the eyes of a female doppelganger.

"My name is Aisling," she said quietly through telepathy. "And you will die now," she said, her form changing back into Kadaj's.

Kadaj stared down at the injured man before him and slowly raised his double-blade. Bergljot, Anselm, and Gwandoya began trying to break down the door and save their friend, but it was no use. They watched Sephiroth tearfully.

Sephiroth lowered his eyes and smiled weakly as the blade was about to come down. As it did, Aisling, in her disguise, gasped hoarsely. The next moment, her true voice was mixing with Kadaj's in pain.

**NINJAMAGEGAMAJNININJAMAGEGAMAJNININJAMAGEGAMAJNININJAMAGEGAMAJNIN**

**NM:** Woo! Isn't it great when a character on the edge of death has something happen to save him? You'll find out what next chapter. Reviews:

**Master of the Dark Trio:** But he's ba-ack!

**Merielle:** Hmm… Never thought about Riku. He almost got killed… but no. At least, not yet. Maybe that's a hint, maybe not.

**Mediciner:** And now, in reference to the last part of your review, a quote from Johnny Depp in the remake of _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_: Eew. Although something along those lines happened earlier in the story, but nobody noticed. I'll give you a cookie if you can find it, Med!

**NM:** Review!

**Kadaj:** … You killed me… ((sob)) I thought you liked me! ((sob some more))

**NM: **Um… yeah. As I said before, review!

**NINJA MAGE**


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